Vintage Coca Cola Swap

I am hosting a Vintage Coca Cola swap in both ATC World and Advanced ATC UK. I love the theme and had fun making the cards. These are some of the ones I finished today.

Life goes by so fast!

You know how some people from your past are always a part of your life? Yeah.... memories.... they keep you going don't they? I just realized that despite my blog, my numerous online groups, hundreds and hundreds and HUNDREDS of pictures I take, I don't appear in any because I am always on the other side of the lens!!! Well, I'm attaching a picture taken today - I'm no longer 26, that's for sure! But my heart is exactly where it was 22 years ago.

Just a Thought... Random Musing..... (or maybe just menopause!)

I am a member of various on-line ATC groups and today has been one of those days when I am so glad that I am. I have met such wonderful people - people I would truly love to sit down and have a cup of coffee with... people that I think about and write to just to say "hi" outside of the actual group events. I guess I just wanted to say thank you ... thank you for sharing your life through your art, your blogs and your email. There is so much stress and ugliness out there that I truly look forward to sitting down in the evenings and catching up with you and your lives. To share your excitement at a new creation - a new technique. To hear stories about your children, grandchildren, husbands and pets!!! You have all contributed not only to my art, but to my life and for that I thank you.

Inchie Bird House

We did inchie bird houses (birdhouses that are 1" x 1") for my all time favorite group PID. I wanted to do something different and this is what I came up with. Inchie cubes, inchie birdhouses, inchie this...... inchie that..... Getting smaller and smaller! But so much fun to make!

Love this quote!

I love this quote so much I just had to share it with you guys.

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass....It is learning to dance in the rain."
(Karen Lambert, All Things Tim yahoo group)

Isn't that the best saying!!!?? I love it!

Just thinking.............

We had a friend who committed suicide a couple of weeks ago and it has really left me wondering... what can be so awful that you take your life? That you shoot yourself in the head in front of your wife - with your 13 year old daughter in the next room? This was a man of faith, a man who adored his wife and children... a man loved and respected by so many people... A man in so much depression that he just couldn't do it any more. I just wanted to put it out there that we need to give thanks every day for what we have. For the peace in our lives... for the love of our friends and family. Don't take anyone for granted - ever. Make sure you tell them you love them every single day because they may not be there tomorrow and at least they took your love with them on their next journey.

Asian Art

Joined an asian/oriental art group today and am quite excited about it. I never thought I would get into asian/oriental art but I really like it now. (Just another funky mid-life crisis "thing"!). Thepictures are not very good and the images aren't very clear but it's what I have!!!

I made these asian cards recently and can't wait to do more!

My babies

I have had several online coversations with friends this week about our dogs! Those of us who are obsessed with our 4 legged children are basically agreed that they are sunshine in our lives. I thought I would post a picture of my babies to share with all you dog lovers! From left to right, top to bottom, Candy, Bubbles, Cindy, Simon, Lucki Charms, Max and Lilly Rose.

Butterflies for Children

1,500,000 children innocent children died in the Holocaust. The Holocaust Museum in Houston is planning a wonderful exhibition honoring the youngest victims of the world's most horrific mas murder.

"Children were neither just the mute and traumatized witnesses to this war, nor merely its innocent victims; the war invaded their imaginations and the war raged inside them." — Nicholas Stargardt in "Witnesses of War: Children's Lives Under the Nazis"

In an effort to remember them, Holocaust Museum Houston is collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies. The butterflies will eventually comprise a breath-taking exhibition, currently scheduled for Spring 2012, for all to remember. f Summer 2008, we have already collected an estimated 400,000 butterflies."
I am planning on sending some butterflies and I thought perhaps some of you would like to also. Check their site for more details. http://www.hmh.org/minisite/butterfly/index.html


THE BUTTERFLY

The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing against a white stone....
Such, such a yellowIs carried lightly ’way up high.
It went away I’m sure because it wished to kiss the world good-bye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me and the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.

That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here, in the ghetto.

Pavel Friedman, June 4, 1942
Born in Prague on January 7, 1921.
Deported to the Terezin Concentration Camp on April 26, 1942.
Died in Aushchwitz on September 29, 1944

A Wedding in Mexico!!!!!!

My son and his fiance finally decided to get married in Riviera Maya Mexico! Woo Hoo!! It will end up being a one week celebration with only the closest family members and friends! Not only am I happy for the vacation (LOL!) I am truly happy with my son's choice for a wife. Marisol is a wonderful girl and if I had chosen someone for him, she would not have been better than this girl! My son is not "easy" but she recognizes and sees the good in him and that's so important. Of course it's an added bonus that she loves scrapbooking and art as much as I do!! We all tease Charlie that he's marrying his mother!!! (That doesn't make him feel all warm and fuzzy...... can't figure it out!!). The wedding will be next June and I can't wait!

Especially Made For......

What a great swap hosted by Lois Richter. The concept is that you send out 9 cards with 9 different names and in exchange each of the players receive 10 cards back with their names on it! Lois makes a card for each of us. It took a little time for me to think of an idea for this ATC - it seemed like I'd never get an "aha" moment on this.... but yesterday I actually finished them! 9 for the swap, an extra 3 cards for kids that Lois is introducing to ATC cards and one other special one!

I had the names of two boys which was a little bit of a challenge (I am a "girlie" designer) but I pulled out my wonderful Tim Holtz embellishments and voila! I've posted the the 3 cards I made for the children and the one "special" card for KATIE, Lois' cat!!!! LOL!!!

Bamboo Tiles

Angie, a wonderful artist and online friend, posted this technique in Paper Imagery Designs group. It looks really cool and fun to do so I thought I would share it with you guys!

http://www.alteredchix.com/chixfeaturedangie.html

I will post mine when I do it!

The most beaufiul work of art.

My granddaughter Kaitlynn was baptized on September 7th. Although this blog is supposed to be about my art - this child is the one masterpiece in my life!! Don't let the innocent look on her face fool you though! She just wasn't feeling well that day!!! I just HAD to add a picture of Kaitlynn to my blog! Seeing her face always makes me happy!

Message in a Bottle

I have today joined this absolutely WONDERFUL project. It's exactly what it sounds like! A Message in a Bottle! A message of artistic unity.

The premise of this project hosted by Lisa Volrath is simple yet genius! You fill a bottle (water bottles!) with emphemera - lace, embellishments, buttons, - little treasures to use in ATCs and you add an ATC to it. You mail it out using the address labels that came with the bottle and you sit back and wait to recieve your bottles in the mail! Is this not the most amazing idea?


Go take a look at the site by clicking on the bottle and see for yourself how wonderful this is. Imagine sending bottles all over the world to men and women who love this art form as much as you do! Imagine receiving goodies from all over the world and sharing what you have with those that may not be able to get it where they are from! LOVE THIS PROJECT!!! Definitely a five star event!

Mexican Swap

After an absolutely HORRIBLE day, I was going to come home and go straight to bed. Tomorrow does not promise to be any better!!

Instead I went through my list of ATC "to-dos" and decided to actually DO something relaxing. It's amazing how just sitting in my studio and playing with images, ribbons, beeswax, paper.... all my "toys" relaxes me. No matter how frazzled I am, and BELIEVE me, I was FRAZZLED today - this hobby helps me BREATHE.

I may not like my profession today - although usually I really do love it - but my art helps keep my blood pressure down and is probably responsible for keeping me out of prison!!!

Even after all these years it still amazes me how two people can hate each other so much that they just can't stop to see how they are destroying their children. I'll never get used to it.

Anyway...........................

ATC World hosted a Mexican Swap this month. There really isn't much you can do with that but these are my cards for that swap. The cards are covered in beeswax for a more ephemeral, antique look to them. I have to admit I liked them more than I thought I would! The images are pretty and Mexican woman are so exotic looking aren't they? My son Charlie and his fiance are getting married in Mexico next June!! There is so much inspiration in that!

Let's hope tomorrow is a better day.......... I know that the sun WILL come up and God will have some more jokes for (or on) me, but I can take it as long as I can come home and play with my toys!

Lady Lucky Dip

This was a swap for Advanced Artist Trading Cards UK. I don't know why it took me so long to actually get INTO it but they are done!! Once I got started I really enjoyed making them. The hostess (a wonderful gal named Ali in England) gave a list of possible "subjects" - all women - and we were to chose 4 of them. I chose the Wicked Witch, Starlet of the Silver Screen, Gypsy Woman and Geisha. These are my interpretation of these wonderful women.

UPDATE: October 20, 2008. STAY TUNED!!! I HAVE JUST JOINED LADY LUCK DIP 2!!!

It's MS. Nia to you!

I am hosting a swap in my favorite on-line group, Paper Imagery Designs using the Nia image. All PID images are great but this one is one of my favorites! I have uploaded a few of my cards (I was supposed to make 5 and ended up making 12!!).