This Is What I Do: Create

Gotta share this! A local shop here in my town that sells local artists' work, ask me if I would create one-of-a-kind greeting cards and decorative gift tags to be sold in that shop. Of course, at first I panicked. Then, I thought, "why not?" My stuff is as good as anybody else's, so I have delivered my first 15 cards and have 6 gift tags ready to deliver. I am actually getting paid to create. No timeline, or stress involved. The owner is just interested in keeping a ongoing supply in her shop. So far, I have been able to create using what I have here in the studio available without buying extra supplies. Eventually, tho, I will have to restock some little detail stuff, stamps and stamp pads. Life is good. I will never get rich, but I made enough last week to pay for my haircut and a Frosty at Wendy's. Not bad for a couple of days work!! Until next time, Go, create something!! JF

Rain, thunder, lightening, staying in the house enjoying the warmer, though damp temps. It's been a lovely week in the Midwest, finally. But since it was inclimate today, I read, napped and made a couple of cards. A young man that I mentored during his HS years, helped move him into his first college dorm, and have stayed in contact with, is graduating with a degree in Engineering, with honors, on May 5th. I made him a card when he graduated from HS with the same compass on the front.   I decided to stick with a theme. He will go out and do great things, I am sure. The front says "Wherever You Go" and inside it says "enjoy the journey."  The globe on the front is a Tim Holtz design by Sissix. I cut two white, and one red, sandwiching the red one between the two white ones, offsetting each one just a little. I mounted it on some Ms Sparkle watercolor paper to resemble the earth's water. I embossed the word congratulations down the side. No idea ...

My friend Curley (her real name is Cheryl and when we met long ago, she had a "curly do" but she doesn't get perms anymore, but the name stuck!) had a birthday yesterday. I wanted to give her something reflecting my art and our friendship. Yeah. I could have just gotten her a gift card from Hobby Lobby, but that's not personally reflective, just easy. I had been watching my YouTube guy, Mike Deakin of Mike Deakin Art (suggest you all take a look at his stuff sometime) and he had been making a lapbook. I sorta followed his suggestions, adapted mine differently, and went with it. I am showing you pictures of the finished book I made for Curley for her birthday. This is the front and back cover. The ribbon is to tie it shut and is riveted on with a pink eyelet into the spine of the booklet. The charms at the top of the spine are attached to a piece of chain with removable jeweler's rings, and the chain is attached with a jeweled brad. I bought the charms at a loc...

Working out in the yard can wait another while. I felt like making art today.  So indulge me a bit and look at my April entry to the Mission Inspiration page that I belong to on Facebook. I was to use three colors, pastel yellow, pink, and a pastel green. If you look closely, the pastel green is behind the spring and summer trees. The trees were cut on my Cricut, the color on the trees is acrylic paint. I put the snow on the winter tree limbs with a while gel pen. The instructions given called for splatters or drops, but I didn't use those. Otherwise, I followed the prompt to the letter, even if some of it was subtle. I wanted to show you my latest greeting cards that I haven't sent out in the post. Some I sent before I photoed them. Sorry! Now maybe I should go work in the yard.  Well, maybe not, it's Sunday and that is the day of rest, isn't it? Until next time, Go, create something! JF

Gosh, it's been a while since I posted anything. I have made some awesome cards lately, but got them into the post without taking a pic of them. Drats! I have also been to Grandparent's Day at my grands' elementary school, which was blast in itself. Grandson #2 and grandson #3 both had their designated times at the same time, which created a problem, sorta! So my friend Curley and  I took on grandson #2 and the other grandparent (really an aunt of my daughter-in-laws who raise her when her mom passed.) took grandson #3's room visit. Then we attended a book fair, where each child could purchase a book, if they had the money (way too much). Of course Grandpa had a stash of cash  (furnished ahead of time from my son) and "softie" Curley forked over a tidy sum, so R got a couple of books. it was fun and wonderful visiting in the classroom, seeing projects, meeting the teacher and observing just what 2nd graders are doing and learning these days. Big class, and lot...

March has been brutal. It's been cold, the weather shifting from rain to snow and back again. Hoosier Hysteria is over, TV is back to normal, I guess. I don't watch too much of it, but I do know that IHSAA and NCAA interrupted what viewing I usually do, so I have been reading a lot and creating art. Below is my March mid month mini mission submission to our group Mission Inspiration. I dedicated this submission to the American drivers that are experiencing the "turn abouts" on our streets and highways for the first time. They are becoming more and more common and I've even found them in our rural areas. They take some getting used to. The "key word" for our mini mission this month was "lost." That's it for now. Go, create something! JF

For some reason when I posted the pictures in the last post, blogger didn't pick up one of them. So, of course I have to share the following: Another stamp, which came in a set and looks like either paint spatters, or if use with white ink on a dark base could resemble a windshield after being parked under a tree in the summer. Birds, the nasty things!! Anyway, I used 4 different inks, obviously, stamped the design on 65# white cardstock, backed it with medium blue and then to a white card base. I think the sentiment, " Art washes away from soul the dust of everyday life ," is very appropriate for a note to another arty, from an arty! I've had the sentiment stamp for years and have used it maybe three times that I can remember. Surely there's some one of my artsy friends that will need a cheerful note one of these days. That's it for today, I promise!! Go, create something!! JF