A Work in Progress

A Few More ATCs

I am finally going to load the last set of ATCs I made into my album.  I finished these last month.  I was very delinquent on a trade, but I managed to get them to the recipient at long last.  It is always fun getting out all my papers and art supplies and working on these.  As always it is just a lack of extra time that prohibits me making more at the moment.

Yesterday I went to a couple of craft stores as I need some material to finish some needlework projects.  I only needed a couple of Christmas print fabrics, but I always find more that I can't pass up.  These fabric cuts were all on sale, and I am sure I will find a use for them later.  I also picked up the latest Somerset Studio and Create & Decorate.  I have noticed lately that Create & Decorate has had lots of projects using punch needle.  I not too familiar with this, but some of the designs were really cool, so I may have to look into how it is done, though I really don't need anymore hobbies.  The Somerset Studio had lots of Chrstmas ideas.  If I can get my act together it would be fun to make some things for friends to insert in cards.  Both magazines have some good paper arts ideas.  One thing at a time, I have to complete my needlework projects first.  That means the sewing machine will be coming out later today!

A Little Peek...

I received my Winter issue of Cloth Paper Scissors in the mail yesterday.  I have to say they are fast becoming my favorite paper arts magazine (my other favorite being Somerset Studio).  My subscription ran out with this issue, but I think I am going to have to renew.  Pretty much every article in this issue is interesting to me.  I would love to work more with cloth, but whenever I try and use it, it just doesn't turn out quite how I want it to.  There is also a great article on "fat little art books".  I have participated in several and shared most of them here.  I am still waiting on one book to arrive--an Asian Dreams book.  I have been too bogged down with other things to work on any others, though. 

I did, however, finally get down to work on the set of ATCs that I owe a lady in France.  I am sure she is giving up hope of ever getting them from me, as I have been so behind.  For me, I really have to be in the mood to work on them, or I tend not to be pleased with the results.  This is one of my favorite ones from the group.  I am not quite sure I am finished with her, but so far so good.  I have one more that I need to make--I fizzled out at about 1:00 a.m.  But it will be a big load off my shoulders to get them finished.  I will load them all into my album before I mail them off on Tuesday.   

Time to Get to Work!

It is time to pull out the papers and paste this week.  I owe someone a set of ATCs, and I have been very lax in working on them.  She sent me cards eons ago, and I have had good intentions on making some for her, but they never seem to get done.  My plan is to do a little each night--select my focal image, then my background, etc, and on Friday (I have the day off), I hope to get them all put together.  Maybe I can get them in the mail by next Monday.  Really it is only a matter of finding a chunk of time, and then getting out all my papers and paints.  I love making them, but time is always the issue for me. Now if I am true to my word, over the weekend I may just have some new ATCs to share! Wouldn't it be great to have four day work weeks....ahhh. 

My Amazon Goodies!

Before I share my latest book haul, I thought I would share "my page"!!  My card is in the lower left, entitled "Poetry".  Pretty nifty, eh??  If you like paper arts, I really do recommend this book.  There are so many talented artists included.  It amazing what people come up with--all the new ideas using vintage papers that others might just pitch in the garbage!  I really do have to get my artsy stuff out and be creative again.  My problem is I have too many expensive hobbies.  They needn't be expensive really, but I am so compulsive about things, I have to buy all the cool new things I see.

Now...my new books.  All the Modern Library editions are the books I got from Amazon.  I am still waiting for a couple more books!  The other two smaller books I happened to find in the university bookstore today.  I had to pop in there for something and started browsing the popular reading shelves.  They have loads of classics, and I decided to buy some "Halloween" titles!  I bought The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writings (short stories, poetry and a full-length novel--including my favorite "A Cask of Amontillado") by Edgar Allen Poe, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  Last year I read Stoker's Dracula, so maybe this year it will have to be Frankenstein!  And I even managed to find a cool bookmark.  As for the ML editions: F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise and The Beautiful and the Damned , H.G Wells' When the Sleeper Wakes (sounds interesting),  The Selected Poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay (I really need to read more poetry), and finally  W.E.B. Du Bois'  John Brown (another one that sounded interesting).  As you see--I am on a classics binge now!!

I'm Published!!

Okay, first...who says I don't like Mondays??  Especially when I come home to a pile of *good* mail like this??  I don't even want to open all of it right now.  I want to try and drag it out as long as I possibly can, as I doubt I am going to have another stack of boxes like this to come home to later this week!!  I have two Amazon boxes with books (yay), two packages from needlework stores (of course one has some things I am giving to another stitcher, but I still get to have the fun of opening it up and seeing new charts!), and two surprise packages.  One is from a needlework friend, which I will open after dinner and one was a publication from Stampington.  I am sure you have heard me talk about them before.  If you are at all into altered art or any sort of paper arts, this is the company for you.

This brings me to my last surprise package.  I found out a while back that one of my ATCs had been chosen for one of Stampington's upcoming publications.  I had been waiting to order the book--hoping I might find it at the bookstore (to avoid paying postage), and here it is!  I am so excited!  They have sent a complimentary copy to me for having something included in the book.  And it is a lovely publication!!  Actually looking at all the exquisite art, I almost can't believe that my artwork was chosen!  It is a thick book, chock full of beautiful transparency art.  I have to really thank Helga at ArtChix Studio as she submitted cards that she had in her collection (mine was amongst those).  Granted I am nearly at the end of the book (you can find my card on page 166), but I am in there!!  Now I feel like dragging out all my paper stuff and paste and playing!!  Actually I owe (and am very tardy in my work) someone a set of ATCs.  I have them started, but now I need to get my nose to the grindstone and get them done!!  Maybe this will be just the inspiration I need!!

End of Summer

 

Summer is unofficially over now.  This is the last long weekend before the big holidays.  Even though it is the end of summer, the weather hasn't quite figured that out and it is still quite warm out, and we will be in the low 90s through next week!!  Personally I am looking forward to cooler weather, long sleeves and sweatshirts!  In honor of the end of summer, this is a collage that I made for one of my chunky books, which I have posted before.

I was a bit of a recluse this weekend.  I took Friday as a vacation day from work, and it has been a nice break.  I spent most of my time reading (finished "Out" and read quite a bit of "The Highest Tide"), and stitching loads (I finished two projects--including the sewing on one, worked on two "works in progress" and started a new project that is a gift!).  I also managed a bit of cleaning, watched a couple of movies, and wrote out bills (well--it was nearly a perfect weekend).  I spent very little time on the computer--it is amazing how many other things you can accomplish when you aren't parked in front of the computer surfing away.  Alas, it is back to work tomorrow, but at least it will be a short work week! 

Bottlecap Booklets

I have to share another Stampington & Company magazine--I love Stampers' Sampler.  I have a very small collection of rubber stamps.  To be really honest I am not a very good stamper at all.  I tend to buy them, but when I bring them home or get them in the mail--all of a sudden I don't know what to do with them.  I just look at that plastic devoid of any color, and I freeze up!  I do use the smaller ones a bit in my collage stuff, and those I can work with pretty easily.  However, you can get loads of ideas from Stampers' Sampler!  The only problem is (as always)--money.  To create some of the gorgeous cards you need a variety of inks and stamps and papers, etc., and I tend to spend my money (what I have and haven't yet earned!!) on either books or needlework supplies.  But I still occasionally pick up this magazine.

This issue had a really fun idea.  You can make tiny booklets out of bottlecaps!  This would be such a fun thing to do for your artsy friends!  You can find bottlecaps all over the place, and then it is just a matter of either splurging for the hole punch (same size as bottlecap), or cutting the pages yourself.  I have loads of pretty papers and ephemera and you can put all sorts of little surprises inside.  I may just have to try this one out!

A Few More ATCs

These very cool ATCs area few from a larger group that my friend, Laurence in France, sent me.  She made these back in May!  I have been  so unmotivated with my collage projects.  I still have not completed my last chunky page.  I ended up taking it apart.  I have a good idea of what I want to do with it now, but it is a combination of not enough free time and the infernal heat we have had, that has kept me from getting out my papers and glue!  The weather has turned cooler thankfully , so I just need to find some time and inspiration to get going.  I also have in mind a good idea of what I want my ATCs to look like.  I want to do a little series of them.... 

By the way Laurence is also a fellow needleworker and she sent along some paper ephemera as well as a lovely skein of overdyed French floss.  The color is anemone and it is made by a company called L'Atelier du pic vert.    It has reds, purples, greens, and golds in it.   It is just waiting for a special project!

I Take Pen in Hand Chunky Book

I am so late with this page.  Really, really late.  I have the page finished, I have all the other elements ready to paste on.  I have my envelopes ready for the back (the book is a bit of a spin off on the Griffen and Sabine series--each page will have a letter in an envelope on the back, which "tells the story" of what is on the front).  I even have my letter all ready to go.  My problem is--I do not like my page.  I love it when other artists use loads of layers or various elements in their work.  When I seem to try it, mine just feels very busy!  So I have just kept this hidden away, but I need to finish it as I am sure others are waiting on my pages....The lady who organized this is very nice, and very laid back, but I need to get it done.  I have a new image to use, and now it is just getting the inspiration to get going with it.  Or maybe I should start completely over with a different idea?  Or maybe I should just use this page--it isn't as hideous as I think?  No, I think it is not so great.  Back to the drawing board!  Ugh.  I swear it is the weather's fault.  How can anyone get anything done in this constant heat.  Blah.

Cloth*Paper*Scissors

If I haven't mentioned this magazine before, I will now.  It is a wonderful magazine that I rank right up there with Somerset Studio.  Cloth Paper Scissors has a little bit of everything I like art-wise.  There is mixed media collage art, altered art, and even needlework in the form of art quilts and fabric collage/books.  Some of the features in this issue: layered mixed-media collage, transfer master class, buttons, baubles, barkcloth & beads--vintage fashion and textile show challenge.  There are loads of cool things to look at.  I even like looking at the ads (so many things I want...).  I have been concentrating on my needlework lately, but whenever I pick up one of my art magazines, I just want to pull out all my papers and collage stuff.  I need to soon anyway, as I owe someone some ATCs!

Since I am on the subject of collage, you have to stop by artista extraordinaire, Celine Navarro's new blog, The Green Frog Studio.  She is a French mixed media artist now living in Canada.  We have been in some art swaps together--including the altered book round robin where my book went missing.  I still wish that book would appear on my doorstep...Maybe someday.  Anyway, Celine is very talented, so take a look at her albums.  I see she has loads of links, so I will have to check those out later as well!