Rainbow Project

I joined a three-part rainbow swap. Each swap is a monochromatic piece in three different colors. By the time 6 months is up I'll have 9 cards in the colors of the rainbow. I really liked working with just one color....

"The Best Of the Garden"

"Two Orange Flowers"

(that's my original name, Brenda. It

took me hours to think of)

"A Rose Is A Rose"

I did this one where you are assigned a partner and then you make them a card based on their profile. We mutually decided to trade trees. She collects earth women so I "tried" to make her a tree in an earth woman's domain. I made it with batik fabric, wool fibers, linen thread, and then did some beading. These themed swaps are making my right brain muscles sore, but it is fun stretching their boundaries.

Abbey - Our Vegetarian Dog

So, we have had our little (or not so little) punkin' pie on a diet for the past 6 months. She has lost 10 lbs. Notice her new sleeker hips... We now get to add a cup of any type of vegetable every day. She is dog happy. She loves broccoli and cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, even lettuce and anything else you can imagine.

Every afternoon she gets her special treat of 4 baby carrots which is good for her teeth. When the vet told us, I thought.... no way is she going to eat those. (uncooked) But there you have it... she thinks they are awesome & yummy. We are so proud of our vegetarian dog, who took up the life style without any urging from us.... Way to go, Abbey.

Art Recieved

I am starting to recieve some awesome art from the new website I'm trading at most of the time now. http://www.illustratedatcs.com/

"Looking Up" by Sharon in Canada.

She is another fiber artist. This is felted and free motion quilted. It was really fun to trade with someone who does similar things. There aren't very many of us.

"Nautilus 117" by Karen in Las Vegas, NV

She has won all sorts of awards for her art, including Artist of the Year and has clients such as Michael Jackson and Playboy. You can see more of her art at http://www.ArtWanted.com/KMS

"Pathway" by Janet of the United Kingdom. I love nature & landscapes

"Canyonlands Sunrise"

These next two are by Margaret of Arizona. You can check out her blog at http://waterblossoms.blogspot.com/ to see links to some of her other art. She's amazing and

every day posts some kind of art and a Zen type inspiring thought.

"Tuscan Sun"

"Ouster"

"Sticking One's Neck Out" I love this. How many times do you get your neck stuck in a noose by doing this.

These next three are by Cynthia of Kansas. You can see more of her art from links on her blog. http://couchart.livejournal.com/ She has a very unique and creative style.

Newest ATC's

"Flower for Ms. Garbo"

"A Winter's Day"

"Ms. Coy"

"Starting Over - Again"

I'm thinking about enlarging some of these to an 8X10 size....

After 29 years....

This is how it goes folks.

Last night we were watching So You Think You Can Dance..... Ken is icing his hamstring and I'm doing some handwork. I ran downstairs to get something and he hollered.... "where are you going?" "I'll be right back," I said. Coming up the stairs I said..... "Do you just want me by you all the time?"

"No, I just wanted to know if you'd turn off that light."

My Way Of Staving Off Boredom

These are some of the ATC's I've been making lately. I like to work on them on a lazy Sunday.

These are a few I sent to an International ATC show in Portland, Maine. If you want.... at the end of the show they will trade them out for you..... matching quantity and trying to match quality. It will be interesting to see the returns. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123438711014449&index=1

Artist Trading Cards

I always have the best intentions of updating this every week, but somehow it never seems to happen.

I have been captivated this year by ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) They are miniature works of art, 2 1/2" X 3 1/2". The way you get them is to trade.... they cannot be bought or sold. This new art culture sprang up in 1996 from rejecting the notion of critiquing and pricing art. Swiss artist Vanci Stirnemann started the movement, inspired by sports trading cards.... he created and showcased over a thousand Artist Trading Cards in a gallery in Zurich, Switzerland. He refused to sell the cards but offered to swap with anyone who brought in a card. A movement was born which eventually circled the globe. There are many internet trading sites.

They are made from almost any art venue.... drawing, pen & ink, water color, acrylics, oil, collage, paper and fibre arts. I have made all of mine with fabric. After I made my "Spirit" or "I See Dead People Quilt" as Andrea calls it.... I wasn't satisfied with just sewing a quilt.... though I still love it.... I just wanted to add more to it. This little size makes that much more practical and allows me to feed my embellishment addiction. I'll post some of what I have made next week (maybe) but I got my best cards yet, yesterday....

"The Boys" and I decided we would trade cards only make them 5 X 7. I sent them bunches of "stuff" to create with.... glitter glue, buttons, beads, seashells, fancy paper, glue.... Canyon decided our first theme.... FANCY CARS. Next month we'll have Mackenzie join us and Auggie will pick our theme. I think these is such a fun way to connect the cousins and grow some creativity. There is a unique and precious quality of children's art that can't be duplicated.

Canyon's to me

Auggie's to me

For Canyon.... "Off To The Beach"

For Auggie.... "Off To The Races"