International Impromptu Art Exchange

Hopefully the dream box above has safely arrived in Canada by now, also making it safe to post my pictures here on the blog without spoiling the surprise for recipient Heather Robinson of Creative Solace.

I have admired Heather's work for some time, first spotting her during Technique Tuesdays, a former challenge blog, co-sponsored by Heather and Suzan Buckner, whose crazy zetti-style art I also love. Then I ran into Heather as a design team member for Indy (not Indie, well, yes, indie, too) artist Kris Hubick, and IRL friend who runs Retro Cafe Art, the Web site and blog.

Recently, Heather posted a darling ATC on her blog, and I wrote to her to propose a swap. She responded with the suggestion of an altered art assemblage swap, which I gladly accepted.

Heather mentioned she had been doing some altered tins. You can see them on her blog here, as well as a nature-themed piece here. Heather is good at updating her blog almost daily, which is tre's fun for her followers.

It's ironic that the tin 'dream box' or nicho I altered for her, came to me from Canada, having been ordered from another favorite supplier, ArtChix Studio. However, the nicho was hecho in Mexico originally.

I used a gazillion little products to 'art it up.' The paper wings are from Retro Cafe Art, the background is a postcard from Bluhm Studios, the mini eggs, leaf mask and tiny bottle with decorative stopper are from Altered Abbey, the green 'seeds' are from ArtChix, the reeds and corrugated paper are from Random Arts in Saluda, NC., the mushroom is from Paula's Kit Club and the egg-print paper on the back as well as other paper scraps are from Character Constructions.

Nothing like having to link to practically everyone I know! But it's always important to give credit where one gets supplies, and also readers will ask, where did you find that thingamajig? The swap gave me a chance to use various bits and pieces from two years of accumulations. The dream box was one of the first things I ever bought, and the piece of lace on the bottom I received early on in a swap and immediately thought it belonged on the dream box. Some months later, the tiny bottle, stopper and seeds arrived separately and seemed to go together. So I filled the bottle, plugged it with the little topper, stuck them in the lace-embellished dream box, and there they sat for over a year, until it seemed just the right thing to use for this swap.

I hope Heather agrees. Mail sent at the same time as her package has already arrived in both Belgium (a swap with ATheeC on Flickr) and Oregon ( 1:1 swap with Michelle Geller of Hold Dear), so Canada can't be far behind.

Yay! Skinny Book Pages Done!! 100th Post- Leave a Comment for a Chance for Altered Art Goodies and Ephemera; Surprises Too!

What better way to celebrate a 100th post than to be all done with a major project. After more than two weeks and at least 48 hours of work, I just finished 54 4 x 8 pages (27 when assembled) for ZNE sponsor The Altered Abbey's Skinny Book Swap by owner and fellow ZNE member Chrysti Hydeck here: http://www.alteredabbey.com/shop/ and here http://chysti.wordpress.com/ and here http://www.alteredabbey.com/_vti_bin/shtml.exe/skinnybook.htm. She's a busy thing, that Chrysti.

I was first inspired by her work in issue No. 13 of Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine. I barely made the cut-off to sign up for the books. She was hosting four books of 25 pp. each and I was No. 23 of the last book. Yikes! The book I will be in does not have to be all originals, but I did 18 originals and 9 highly-embellished high-quality photo copies. I can't even tell which is which, so I hope all recipients will be pleased.

Crazy Chrysti then decided to host two more books, this time for charity auctions, hence the 27 total pages I am sending (and one for her). Imagine, she will have her own book of more than 100 different pages! How beautiful that will be! It will be hard to wait for the finished project. I will get one of my own pages back. I did not photograph all 27, so some I will never see again.

I started with heavy weight paper for acrylic paint, cut it to size and then painted every page with a variety of solid, gel and fluid acrylics. I tried some of Chrysti's techniques from the CPS article, such as brayering pages together, painting over lace, etc. I then attached pages in sets of fronts and backs and began to embellish with paper ephemera. I did gel medium transfers, collage, added transparencies, rubber stamping, metal charms, eyelets, fibers, beads, word pebbles, gold leaf and silver leaf and then I sealed each page.

Speaking of 100th Post, I can't believe it has only been two and a half months since I started my blog. It is one of the best things I have ever done. It has forced me to learn my equipment: computer, scanner, camera, printer. It has forced me to learn web-based technology, and it has given me a chance, albeit brief, to get back to my writing. Plus it lets me share my art with the masses (even if the masses are few).

So, in honor of my 100th post, I have 3 or more large batches of goodies like those pictured from my recent haul: old bottles, old jewelry, old Bingo parts, collage papers, scrap papers, vintage cards, stickers, and I will be drawing names Monday night from among those who leave me a comment here in my 100th post. So say hello, and watch for an annoucement in two days. That should give people time to visit. I will get the goodies/freebies right out next week.

Art and Music: One and the Same

Do not adjust your volume, people. There is nothing wrong with your computer.

I am in love with Project Playlist! Fellow ZNEr Heidi Eberle, who added the music to my art and our group poem on the home page this week, shared her secret for adding playlists to blogs. And here http://www.projectplaylist.com/ it is.

It was so simple. The hardest part was trying to remember all of my favorite songs. I think I have chosen a verrrrrrrry eclectic list. I mean, how many people would put Bach, Handel, Usher, Rascal Flatts and Sade together? I am cracking myself up- I think I am in love with my own blog- how narcissistic is that? But, hey, it's great background music for working. And I thrill myself whenever I can figure out something "techy."

Back to painting...18 of 27 double-sided pages now painted for Altered Abbey's (Chrysti Hydeck) http://www.alteredabbey.com/shop/ Skinny Book Swap. She's at Art and Soul Portland http://www.artandsoulretreat.com/ and I'm just here in my basement covered in paint and generally making a mess. Thought I'd stop for this 97th post!