I Just Can't Stop! Metal and Cards!

 I seem to be making lots of ATC's lately - but the two groups I am in are just the best and I enjoy the challenge. These cards are made for Arts In The Cards and the theme for the month is, what else - "Halloween". We had brilliant sun today - which was wonderful .. but made the cards look a bit more washed out then they really are.

 I will be away for a gals get-a-way this coming weekend - home on Tuesday. We are going to a retreat cottage at The Crazy Quilt Shop in Roslyn, Washington - of Northern Exposure fame. Have a look under the "retreat" tab. I am so excited. I am bringing knitting, journaling stuff  (metal included) and hand sewing. I had thought to work on my large bed quilt but ended up just wanting to relax and not lug a machine. If you look at the cottage you will see why I say this!

 Below: the back of the cards

 This is a card I made - in metal of course! - for a friend who recently was married. She is originally from Barbados and he new husband is from France - so of course I used the three flags in the card! I am becoming so besotted with working in metal - makes me chuckle to myself!

Happy Labor Day (for the USA) and It's Been A Long Time But I've Not Been Loafing!

 Remember that you can double click the photos for a larger view

I couldn't believe it when I saw how long it has been since I last posted. No reason for it either. Time just slips away so fast. Life really is an E-ticket at times isn't it ?!

I have continued my obsession with all things metal. These are a group of ATC's that are being sent out to my friends at Arts In The Cards.   Each month brings more and more fun with this group and I am so grateful to be a part of it!  I find that having a theme is an excellent motivator for me - I have never worked too well this way but I am beginning to really enjoy the challenge of making something that fits the need! Swapping regularly has also really given me some great ideas for the future.

These cards began as a piece of black foil that was burnished over a piece of alligator glass (it was one of my favorite types of glass when I was doing stained glass and fusing so I still have some). I burned off some of the color over the stove which altered the black somewhat and removed the black in some places. Next I added some color where I thought it was needed. The butterflies were punched from either paper, metal or etal - as were the 'moons'. The theme for this month was a 'favorite quote' - most of my favorites are a bit longer and I wanted something smaller - the one I chose has always been a favorite and it worked well size wise

The black dragonfly on the card on the right is is an

example of the black metal that the card backgrounds were at first.

This next batch of cards using some of my favorite, oft chosen, images are for another swap that I am horrendously late in sending out. I had fun yesterday in getting caught up. All of the cards on this page have been sent out into the world today and are on their way to their new homes. I have only three more ATC cards (for another swap) left to finish and send out tomorrow. ALL CAUGHT UP! Phew what a great feeling that can be.

I have signed up for some wonderful classed from one of my favorite journal artists - L.K. Ludwig. Author of, among many books, my favorites. "True Vision" and Creative Wildfire". She has a great - really big - sale going on now for her classes and I had been wanting to sign up for some time. Now that I am almost caught up I can begin working my way through the classes (I chose 5 to begin with).

My next surgery - a two level fusion will be on either October 19th or November 2nd. I have to choose and let them know tomorrow. I'm looking forward to having it over and done with and to feeling good all the time!  Happy Labor Day To All - hope it is labor-less - or if it includes labor - labor only of the fun sort !

My Continuing Fondness For Small

For the last few days I have been making cards. These are a few of them. I am not sure why I get such satisfaction out of making them - but they are gratifying to both make & to send. This group of cards are ear-marked for a lovely person who asked me to make some cards for her. It's been, as always a pleasure to do. Making cards affords me a real opportunity to try out new techniques and hone my skills in others.

'Clarity' was made using a base of cotton that I had painted with color washes with an over lay of an image printed on silk organza. 'Dream' was made in much the same way but the base is kimono silk.

The landscape below was is a small painting using acrylics, watercolor & inks on muslin. The cats were made much the same way and with the same sort of materials.

The little piece below, made on a whim, is acrylic on lutradur. Lutradue has become a surface that I am having a great time experimenting with to a greater extent than I have in the past. It's lots of fun! I would really like to ask for your opinion. Could you take a moment and tell me which card strikes you the best?  Which would you like to receive? Thanks !

Rejoicing With Cards

First let me say that I am thoroughly frustrated with the photos of this group. It's been a week of rain so there is no 'real' light and, obviously, the mixed lighting inside was difficult to correct - at best.

These cards are really a bit of Kismet. As some of you may already have read - I am a very small, very beginning calligraphy student. A calligrapher wanna be - with little skill & an awful lot to learn. & hours & hours of practicing ahead of me. Last week I got a lovely email from a very talented, very professional, calligrapher who had occasion to look at my web site (which has been woefully untended of late) - because of a calligraphy list I have joined - as a lurker for the most part! This wonderful person said that she loved my work and wanted to buy some cards - loved my bags etc etc. I was blushing and, after looking at Julie's work on her blog, Wildman Designs, I thought that perhaps she needed to have her eyes checked! Her's is the work that is wow wow wow! Go have a look and you will see what I mean!

We settled on trade - a felted, quilted bag for a calligraphy piece - plus Julie wanted some cards - count 'em 8 of them! These four are 'Rejoice' cards - the next four will be printed on vintage kimono silks & I can send them off to her the beginning of December. With friends across the pond she asked if  I could get one card off to her now. I decided to just get the after burners going and make four cards to send now so that she would have a choice. Now let me tell you how intimidating it is to letter anything to send to a professional calligrapher! I asked Julie if she would perhaps prefer to add the lettering herself?  Like - p-l-e-a-s-e  would like to letter your cards?!! 'No",  says she, 'my family has enough of my work - I want you to do it'. Uh huh! Okay - so here goes nothing ! Remember what I said about these photos? Well the colors in all of them are actually much more vibrant - the dupioni silk really shimmers & the faces are not nearly this dark and shiny - the only one that comes even close to 'real' color is the top one. That one was one of my least favorite as I worked on it - but it has become my favorite of the bunch I think...well maybe I like the orange with purple dupioni a lot too! Maybe I should not have posted these photos at all - but it's what I have been doing for a few days. I was amazed at how time consuming one card could be. Julie picked a card from the web site that I never had anticipated anyone wanting (it had been a gift to a friend)- so I had to develop a bit of  a pattern for the card - which in the long run is a good thing to have. I have lots of fun making these cards really and could easily spend hours playing around with possibilities, colors, shapes, threads, beads...it could be endless!

I added an ATC to the package for Julie- although it is not the 'official 'swap that we agreed on. Oh! that darn highlight! Ugh! The orange-y global card on the bottom still lacks lettering - that's for the day after Thanksgiving - which I should really get started on I suppose! I should be cutting up the bread to makes cubes - so that the bread dries and can be made into stuffing. Ah! That's for tomorrow - after work and, I might add, a lovely massage in the afternoon by my favorite masseuse in the whole world.

Life is good! Full of unexpected, small, joys, moment of sheer kismet & unexpected friendships.

Peace & joy to you all !

If I don't get back here before then - have a very happy day of giving thanks!

 

A Bevy of Lutradur Cards For C&T Publishing

"Get Off Dead Center"

First thing I need to do is post an 'errata'. Yesterday I said that C&T is a Washington Company. I was incorrect (imagine that?!). The are a Northern California based company ... and, since my good friend lives down that way and I love the area - it's almost as good as Washington! Anyway, hopefully C&T will forgive my faux pas!

Here are some new cards I made over the weekend from Lutradur. They are not quite finished yet - need to add the "card back" and borders. I had playing with Lutrdur - it's a great, versatile material to paint on and, since I had not used any for some time, it was a lot of fun to make these!

The COunty Fait begins today. It's the first year that I have not entered anything since 1992! I just spaced it. It's also a week early this year so I was all 'discombobulated'! If work does not thoroughly wipe me out today I will have to go and have alook at all of the winners! Of course I immediaely head over to the "wool shed" to see all of the textiles and quilts! Have a wonderful, creative day!

" We will remain the same until the pain

of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change"

"Dream 1"

"Dream 2 "

"Believe"