Red Poppy

Red Poppy 

Artist Trading Card 

I love how this card turned out. It's an old shorthand book page layered with paper towel that had been used as a sop towel for a watercolor project. Added the poppy from a paper napkin and some beeswax. And loved it!

Happy Friday! 

What's in my studio... blackbirds and flowers

Working on a few series of Artist Trading Cards. The flower cards are potentials for my friend Martha's Spring Flowers swap.  I'm hosting a recycled envelope swap at ATCsforAll.com, so that's what the corner blackbird is about. I'm in search of some red or pink security liners, came across one at thought I'd saved it but can't locate it. Ah well! 

On another note, I dropped off my Orange Flowers painting for the Allied Arts Members Show that opens Friday March 6th. So it's not here, but it's on my mind. 

I thought I had a photo of it framed, but can't find that either. Gosh, wonder if all this "can't find stuff" is part of getting old. Nah, just busy. That's it! 

Have a marvelous week! 

Sharing with Julia's What's on Your Workdesk.

What's in my Studio

It's another What's in my Studio Day... and Whats on my Workdesk Wednesday. 

So many things going on this week! One of my priorities has been making more of these vintage bottles with replica labels for my Etsy Shop. Folks seem to like them, so I like to make sure I have a few of each design in stock. 

You can see some Artist Trading Cards scattered about. Partially getting ready for our local ATC trade this coming Saturday and partially just playing. The things on the ledge are just there on their way to some yet-to-be-determined final storage spot. The terra cotta pot is from the office, and the pens are also awaiting their final storage spot. It will happen one of these days. 

I'm unlikely to make my re-organization deadline for myself of my upcoming birthday, but that's okay. Messy is just the way it flows most days in my studio. :)

And just to celebrate the Spring Equinox this week... a view of crocus in the yard. Yay for Spring! 

Check out what others around the world are doing at Julia's What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday. 

Altered Book Pages

This week I did my first demo at the store where I work part time... playing with altered book pages.

Here's a bit of what I shared:

 Sunflower with inked die cut leaves and a torn circle center

 Birds made with die cut tinted images, with wings curled. I got my inspiration for the birds here.

Leaves from crumpled and tinted book pages

Book page feathers, inspired by this tutorial. Note lighter weight book pages work the best. 

Book page background on an ATC

My friend Cheryl was there and took some pictures which she shared on her blog. O.o

Sharing with my friends at Paint Party Friday! Do check out what some of the other artists have been creating this week. 

Still playing with oil pastels & ink

I LOVE the results, when I can get the card to come out. I discovered the paper from my sketchbook and Java Ink works best. Here are the final cards for the swap on atcsforall.com. Check out my techniques page to get details of how this was done.

Oil Pastels

My friend Cheryl gifted me a box of oil pastels... just because she's a sweetie. Coincidentally, my online friend Joss from UK just started a technique swap on atcsforall.com using Oil Pastels and Ink... so of course I now am playing along!

This is the third ink type, using Walnut Inks. I found they worked the best... so far. I'm still playing. I could not get an even cover with ink pads, and didn't like the India ink (it's also permanent). Learning by trial and error! This needs a bit of finish work but it will probably be for the swap.

I have started a "Techniques to Share" page on my blog where you can get all the details on how to do this. If you have oil pastels and walnut ink spray, try it out. Oh... you may want to wear gloves for the ink portion, although most of the ink came off my hands in the wash. :)

Playing with beeswax

Playing in an All Types of Art a-thon on atcsforall.com for the next few days. Here are a few of the ATC's I've created.  

 

These are all beeswax collage cards using paper napkins, inks, book pages, sheet music or stamped script, postage stamp, vintage trading stamp, and text.