SDC88: USING TEXT IN YOUR ART

Last night, my husband, my 17-year-old stepdaughter and I gathered in my "art loft" (fancy for attic craft space).  We each did our own thing, yet spent time together as a family!  We laughed, we talked, we created--ok, so Russ was playing computer games, but, in his defense, they, too, were "creative" games!

I actually created three pieces of art, one with a dual purpose.  The first was to answer the Stampotique.com Design Team challenge for this week.  Details are here, but basically, the challenge is to incorporate text into your art.  I chose to use a stamp with old fashioned script rather than text taken from pages of an old book or an out-dated dictionary because it fit better with the second purpose!

The second purpose was to create a postcard to mail to Jane Davies, owner of the one-room post office that serves the small town of Rupert, Vermont.  Jane feels her post office may be at risk for closure, so she has come up with The Postcard Project to increase the volume of mail both passing into and out of her post office.  You can read about the details of this great project here on Jane's blog, but, in a nutshell, you send Jane an artsy postcard, she sends you one back!  Jane is a collage artist, painter, writer and teacher when not in the post office.

Here's the postcard I am sending Jane and also entering into the Stampotique Design Team challenge this week:

You can see the text stamp next to one of my favorite Stampotique images (this one is called "Girl With a Heart Purse"--although you can't see her purse the way I used it).

I also used this same Stampotique image to create another project, which is a piece of art created on a piece of torn corrugated paper.  This is going to a very dear friend of mine with whom I used to work before my retirement!  I hope you love it, G!

My third project is a fun tag, which I will share on another post.  So, thanks for stopping by my blog!  Please take a moment to JOIN if you have not already done so.  There is also an option for you to "follow by e-mail," so you will receive a notice when I update my blog.

Joy to you!

A CREATIVE DARE

I have mentioned before (but it bears repeating) that I am following an artist by the name of Tracy Weinzapfel.  Tracy maintains an art studio in California from which she broadcasts a weekly video show on Monday nights at 6:00 p.m., a very active Facebook page, as well as a daily blog).  Tracy has challenged her followers to what she calls a "creative dare" for February.  You can read about it here if you're curious or would like to participate--or both!  But, the bottom line is to create what some call a bucket list, others a life list, and still others a dream list.  Not that that isn't challenge enough, but she also challenges us to "embed" that list into an artistic project.  Over the last several days, I have been working on this project, and, today, I called it done!

"A nice journal page," you say, "but where is that list?"  If you read between the lines, and I certainly hope you can't, you will find my list.  I have chosen to keep my list private for, you see, some of the things on my list may seem a bit silly to some (like skinny dipping at midnight when I am 70) and some totally unattainable (like attending a presidential inauguration), but nevertheless, this is my list!

I would encourage you both to create such a list for yourself and to create art!!

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Joy to you!

 

BELIEVE IT!

I have been following an art journalist by the name of Corrine Gilmore of Sparkle Days Studio for only a short time, but have fallen in love with her art!  She is more about the "why" than the "how" of art journaling.  It is with her encouragement that I present today a very personal art journal page.  In 1987, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  Once known at Kent State University's College of Education, the Assistant Dean, only shortly before having been diagnosed with prostrate cancer, came to my office to present me with a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking by minister and author Norman Vincent Peale.  It had been given to him by his mother during his cancer treatment.  His only request was that when I was done with the book, I would pass it on.  His mother had inscribed inside the front cover, and, likewise, when I passed it on, I did the same.  I can only imagine where it might be today!

The book encouraged me to visually imagine myself as healed, as a stronger and better person.  I carried that image to the operating room with me that day in November of 1987.  Now, more than 25 years later, I am here, most definitely a stronger and better person!  The message?  When faced with the unthinkable--dream, imagine and believe in a better tomorrow.

Thanks you for visiting today!  Much joy to you!

A VALENTINE MONTH CHALLENGE

Stampotique Challenge! SDC 86

I have never shared here a challenge from a website with which I am not associated, but I have found one that is pretty simple and is a month-long challenge. You can read all the details here and join in the fun. I suggest this challenge for two reasons: one, it involves only colors and a stamp (does not have to be from Stampotique); second, I think the stamps sold on this website are top quality, have character (I have used one of their images on my journal page), and are reasonably priced!


If you have never created anything before, pick some red, pink and white paints, papers and/or inks and have a go at this.  You don't have to create an art journal page.  It can be a scrapbook layout, a card, even altered art!  I have been challenged and created an art journal page which otherwise would most likely not have happened--and, frankly, I like it! Its a "valentine" creation that is not full of mush and love, but of reality!

Thanks for stopping by and much joy to you!

TODAY I AM AN ARTIST!

Some of you will remember this art journal page I created some time ago entitled Let Me Sleep.  The journaling reads, "Let me sleep so that I might dream . . . for in dreams, I am an artist."

This is how most artists feel in the beginning of their artful journeys.  The critic looms over their art tables, shaking his head at every step of creation.  For my critic (myself, actually), my work has always fallen short of being even in the "acceptable" range.  Sure, my husband loves everything I create.  Of course, my family always applauds my work.  Even my fellow crafters always "like" my work on Facebook.  But, still, I never feel my work is really good enough.

But, today is different.  Today I am an artist!  That statement is profound, isn't it?  And, how, you might ask, did I arrive at that conclusion today?  Well, today, someone I don't know "pinned" my most recent art journal page on her Pinterest board entitled Inspiring Art!  Oh, yes, I have had my work pinned before, but always onto a board called "art journaling," or "mixed media," or "art journal ideas."  But this person chose to pin my most recent work onto INSPIRING ART!

I left Kathy a comment on Pinterest to thank her for repinning my art journal page.  She commented back, "Love love your work!!!"  Today, I will drink champagne.  I will toast Kathy with words of appreciation.  Then, in a grand gesture, I will toast the artist!

Now, my most recent art journal page:

Thank you for stopping by--and much joy to you!