Swaps and Stuff.....................

Here's a matchbox swap I completed and mailed - theme was Twelve Days of Christmas - mine was 12 drummers drumming!!! Thanks to Penny of Linen Shelf for organizing this - can't wait to get my 12 little boxes back!!!

The other thing I am working on is my sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project Tour 2011. It has to be mailed in to the Brooklyn Art House Co-Op by the end of December, I think. Early next year, will join thousands of other sketchbook for a tour around the US!

Quite an ambitious undertaking for me - but I'm giving it a shot!

Here are a few of the pages, all still works in progress:

 Tiny watercolor of the view out back........

Hidden in a compartment in the back of the notebook is a tinier Moleskin notebook - a little watercolor flip book of hummingbirds. I love the way it turned out - unfortunately, the photos don't show it off very well!!

Well, that's all for today.................................

"New" Stuff

Put together some new inventory for Julieanna's- I should get busy and put some of it in my Etsy shop. At least, in Julieanna's, I know it is selling!!!LOL

I like playing around with orphaned, vintage pieces of china or cutlery- giving them new life, altering them into something else functional, quirky, or cute. 

I was making these business card holders out of vintage silverware, and Julie suggested I make a set- for place card holders. Great idea!!
Another great idea from "anon", Lennie- use them for an easel for a tiny piece of art! I think these would be great to display mini paintings, ATC's, zentangles , maybe even twinchies!

Here they are:

The place card holders kind of look like a piece of odd art just stacked together!

Zentangle Inspired.........

A while back I posted a picture of a vintage hand mirror that was beautifully zentangled. Turns out it was created by the Zentangle founder. She recently posted a pic of that same mirror, and in her post, answered my unasked question on how to preserve the design.
So, I took a leap, and designed my own - I happen to have a very similar mirror. Now, all I have to do is seal it with polyurethane- and fingers crossed that I don't mess it up!!! At least, I have a picture, if I do...............

Inchies, Inchies, Inchies!!!!!!!!

I am surrounded by inchies- a new found passion!!!!!!
Altho' I have seen these before on many blogs, including Patty's, I read a post the other day, on Kimmie's blog.
Her pictures and description made the process very clear. She was describing the idea of "bricolage", which led me to a post on Elizabeth's blog, which in turn led me to Seth's blog........ You can see why a few minutes on the computer, can turn into hours...............

Anyway, one thing led to another, and I have to thank Kimmie- for affording me yet another distraction from the banalities of daily living!!!!LOL

Kimmie kindly sent me a link to Inchie Arts, where Ellen Hutson stocks an inventory of chipboard inchies, twinchies, inchie +'s, and more!!!
Boggles the mind - I had to bug Kimmie with a few questions about which was what- and placed my order for a package of 72 inchies. I got them in a day or two - fast service, with a nice little thank you note and an extra surprise goodie baggie of St. Patty's Day green ribbon!

These are mine - so far - there is more work to be done on them-and I am already swapping those! I have 40 or 50 more to work on. The recent paper swaps I was in, came in handy for working on these!

When I received the chipboards, I just had to grab one and do a little zentangle on one. My favorite inchie -so far- is the "wee zen angel", the top row, 1st on left. The zentangle is middle row, 2nd from left. I am sure they will all be favorites when completed!!!

So, if anyone is interesting in swapping inchies with an obsessed newbie (that would be me!)- please let me know! We could do 1, 2 or 10 - your choice!!!!

More Zentangle Fun!

Sitting around today, watching The Time Traveler's Wife with my daughter- can't just sit and do nothing!! So, I did some more zentangles.

Two are book marks- both little surprises to be tucked in with a swap.

I read on the Zentangle blog (I think) about how easy it is to "tangle" on popsicle sticks- because they are so smooth. And, guess what - it is!!! It's kind of a challenge to work on such a tiny space. I still have a few popsicle sticks left - practice makes perfect!!!LOL Next time, I probably should pay better attention - and not be watching tv!!!

Both pictures can be clicked on for a closer look - they are tiny!!!

Now there's a good idea for a swap- popsicle stick zentangling!!!! Anyone up for it???

Tags, Tags, and More Tags!!!!

In my "spare" time, I sit and doodle, or zentangle!! So, I am putting that doodling power on tags - be they gift tags, bookmarks, or door hangers. There are 100 blank tags in a pack, so what I don't use in the shop, falls under my doodling pens!!

I found this wonderful site - http://www.spoonflower.com
You can get your designs printed on fabric!!! I did a fat quarter with a snowflake photo I took a few months ago. I am waiting to get it in the mail!! If the fabric looks good - I may have to try some of my doodles on fabric - how exciting is that - to have my own design on fabric in my own quilt??? I guess Pat Sloan knows that feeling very well!!!
Anyway, here are some of the tags I've been working on - I have re-discovered my colored pencils - I may have to invest in a few more!! Those, along with pigma pens, and jelly roll colors - I'm having a ball!!

***********************************************

Thought for the day:

"Color in a picture is like enthusiasm in life."..............Pablo Picasso

Z-egg-tangle Easter "Egg"

Kimmie, from Art in Red Wagons
has a great basket of Easter 'eggs', that she designed after seeing an example on another blog. She took some river rocks and used fine and regular Sharpies, and zentangled Easter eggs. They are beautiful!!!
I took a walk to the river today, in search of some perfect egg shaped rocks. Of course, when I am looking for them, I can't find what I want!!! Then, I remembered the jar full of white rocks from a beach on the North shore of LI. I have these on display in a vintage canning jar - and there are some perfect egg shapes!! The rock is 1 1/2 inches long and 1 inch wide.
So, I got out my Pigma pens and got busy. The white of the rock, with its tiny bit of sparkle (which does not show up in the picture) works beautifully with the black designs. I might have to try another one in color!!!

Bookmark Challenge and Swap

This is my zentangle bookmark that I created for a swap with Linda from ABAA , http://bigartadventure.blogspot.com
She has already received it, so I can now show you!!

It has design on both sides, with vintage black rick rack, and I couldn't resist adding a little 'zen' to the envelope too! The postmaster liked it!!!

This has inspired a line of blank notecards that I will be introducing here and on Etsy very soon!! I'll keep ya'
'posted'!!!!

PS-See a previous post for the "WOW" package I received from Linda!!!

Fun With Copper

I remember doing copper 'etching' - if that is the right word, EONS ago (it seems) in high school. I wish I still had the piece I created back then! I still see it in my mind's eye - but the real deal disappeared many years ago.

While on a trip to Charlottesville, I discovered a wonderful art shop - I think it is called Art Studio Supplies. Oh, if I had had more time - and money!!!!Being of scattered mind - I want to try everything at least once!!!

But, I did have a mission - to find thin gauge copper sheeting, to try my hand at etching again. I found sheets of .005 thickness - a package of copper, brass, and aluminum, and couldn't wait to get home to try it!!!
I was sure I had a stylus in my studio - but apparently it is still among the unpacked and hidden!!! Necessity is the mother of invention, and I couldn't wait, so I cut two tiny squares with my fabulous, will cut anything, Cutco shears, and got out my seam ripper- which, by the way, makes quite a satisfactory etcher!!!

My first tentative attempt was just a simple heart - just to get the feel of the copper. The 2nd try was one of my 'temari zendala' zentangles. I'm really liking this!!!! I guess you can use patterns to get a perfect design, but I prefer to stumble along with my own freehand images!
The other day,by chance, I found a local art supply house in town - never knew it was there - and it is closing the end of the month!! Just my luck!! But, I was able to get a roll of thinner guage copper and a proper stylus.
There are endless possiblilties for these little copper gems - I need alot more practice, next, I'll have to figure out how to put a tiny wash of color on them!!!

Bookmark Challenge

I finally finished a challenge on time!!! Of course, it was a small one - that helped!!
Rosie and Linda decided we should create a bookmark. Theirs are beautiful- check out their blog- http://www.bigartadventure.blogspot.com

I love to zentangle, so this was the perfect choice for my bookmark. I have done them before, but for this one, I decided to use a hang tag, edged it with fancy scissors, and replaced the cord with a piece of coordinating vintage black rick rack.
I threw the bookmark in a piece of pottery, while cutting the rick rack and getting the camera ready - and it looked kind of nice in there!!!

Next month, I am hosting a tea party/book exchange, and I'm thinking these bookmarks might be just the thing for everyone's "new" books!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Find your joy in something finished, and not a thousand things begun..............unknown author.