Mail Art: Collage Challenge

My most recent Mail Art exchange with Beth and Leslie involved using a collage sheet provided by L...

The instructions were to use only these elements - we could "resize" but that was about it...

So Beth sent something else (BIG LOL)... she did this just before her big trip to PARIS! Beth has been experimenting with some new techniques and I just love how this turned out. Check out her blog to see what else she has been doing.

Leslie on the other hand did stick with the challenge adding some sewing. Her message was "copied the sheet small a few times, then worked with the prompt "abundance" and used the girl 3 times and went from there..."

I guess I was somewhere in between. I was inspired by an old Bookkeeping text that seemed to suit the young woman.

I also needed to add some colour (that seems to be what I am doing a lot of lately) hence the water colours I added...

Our next theme was prompted by the recent Great Gatsby movie - anything from the 1920s (either directly from the book or from the time period). Looking forward to seeing the results! Enjoy Jewels

Instant Art Collection

Remember those 12 "froggie" ATCs I made a while back? They were for Kimberly's Fabric of Nature Swap. 

Well the swap has concluded and a lovely package arrived at Maple Hill on Friday.

There were ATCs on their own, some packaged sweetly and others with a few little extras like buttons.

Each are their own piece of art...

...and I suspect very much reflect the styles of the makers

Kimberly has asked we share how we plan to display our new art collections..

I do know what I will be doing - it just so happens I recently found a perfect old book cover...it will take a little time but I envision a wonderful journal to house them all in. Stay tuned. Jewels

Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves....Mail Art!

I was born in the wagon of a travellin' show 
My mama used to dance for the money they'd throw 
Papa would do whatever he could 
Preach a little gospel, sell a couple bottles of Doctor Good

You know when you get a song stuck in your head? A while back I happened to think of this old song from Cher - popular when I was growing up - and I COULD NOT get it unstuck! So....I suggested Lenna, Jo and I use it for our latest Mail Art theme! Not that it helped any LOL....

Lenna was first out of the gate - I think she was channeling Cher for this one. She has been experimenting with  gelli plate monoprinting which produced a wonderful back ground on which she added images of Cher. We've been exchanging stories of what we were doing in 1971 (OMG that's like over 40 years ago!). Well done Lenna!
Gypsys, tramps, and thieves 
We'd hear it from the people of the town 
They'd call us Gypsys, tramps, and thieves 
But every night all the men would come around 
And lay their money down 

Jo's showed up in a rich red envelope (VERY Gypsy) with a group of gents (like the song says, the men would come around). 

Inside was her card with a palm for reading one's fortune - she printed it on fabric which give its a cool effect (check her blog to find out more). I love both of them and how we managed to go in very different directions....

As for mine, well, it is a tale of sorrow that I share LOL...I've been taking 21 Secrets and learning all kinds of new stuff - so thought I would try a "tiling"technique taught by Kate Crane for the base. 

Of course this took a little longer then planned 'cause I had to cut out all the different sizes of music and glue them down in different ways. You then put a good layer of gesso on top - but just enough so you can still see the music peeping through. 

That was not too bad but then things got interesting. I sprayed the top with Tsukinek inks (never used before) which never did quite dry properly but, okay, I'm experimenting. Another technique Kate teaches is just lightly splashing water after you ink to get the "blotches". Still okay... and then it happened.

The cursed tissue paper transfer....I've had pretty good success with this so far and, in fact, the first card I did it worked like a charm. But goodness it took not 1 not 2 but 3 ATTEMPTS to get it to work right on the second card (lets just say I think I got a tad overconfident in my use of products). With great relief it finally worked - only to find out that the second copy of the wanderlust definition went MIA (which, as you might guess, miraculously reappeared two days after everything went in the post). FORTUNATELY I am an old dictionary hoarder and was able to find another one (phew) - which is why they do not look the same. 

Then when I stamped with acrylic paint I got carried away and had to quickly remove a couple of times what I did (seriously it was not pretty - my walls are still blushing at the salty language they heard)..... Well, we are all our worst critic right! I've recovered from my ordeal (but I won't reveal who got the tissue paper "challenged" one ha, ha). Hoping my next cards for Beth/Leslie  and Jo/Lenna "behave"! Enjoy. Jewels

Calendar Collage May

Still trying to keep this going. I have been "recording" entries in a notebook for the month but I still needed to do the art work!

I had a picture in mind to use for May involving a young man named Ian.

I actually think Ian's Mum would say he is quite the cheeky  little you know what LOL. But she still loves him just the same (hope he gives her a lovely Mother's Day present this weekend)

I went for some wild colours that turned out okay (I guess) - a reflection of Ian's personality? Enjoy. Jewels

And so it continues...

...after the excitement of the Rose Room (I found out later from my lovely contractor that it took longer to hang the "bling" then intstall the light fixture -LOL - A+ to him for sticking with it)...things have been a little mundane. Power washing outside siding (not too exciting but oh my things look so much "cleaner"), touch up painting, preparing for the bathroom demolition, arranging for tree trimming, rehabilitation of my poor lawn AND a new Air Condition (doing it now before our first heat wave)...

Look at that colour - Sea Breeze! The picture does not do it justice.. I posted awhile back about the Sun Room and this is the first step...this wall was a rather heavy dark gold colour (you can see in the post) - I am so happy to see it go.  I left the cream colour on the other walls and it is actually a nice contrast.

I need to take before and  after pictures of my very Mrs. Brady Bathroom (some of you will understand the reference ha ha). Looking forward to the next little adventure here at Maple Hill! Take care...Jewels