INSANITY AT IT'S CREATIVE BEST!!

HOLY MOLY!! Just when I think I've gotten a handle on my art projects....'Splash' I've jumped in-eyes wide open-to a new obsession. 1X1 inch collages. Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you (although my compromised up-close eyesight is being way challanged) I am talking teeny, tiny, pieces only one inch square. I don't have pictures yet to show you, but take a look at

Shari's

blog and here at

Chrysti's

blog and you will get the general idea. I have become one of the instantly obsessed 1inch nuts!!! I could not wait to come home from work, pull out the 140 watercolor paper, smoosh paint, stamp background, dab ink through sequin mesh and cut this into 100 - YES ONE HUNDRED - little squares upon which I am now creating mini collages. I tried to resist, but like a moth to a BONFIRE, in I flew. I will actually trade these with other members of the obsessed clan. Where does it end?.......Hopefully it never does.
I promise I will give you the visual of my squares very soon....for now I need to take these stressed out eyes to bed.

IT MUST BE THE WEEKEND!

 
The only time it seems to play with abandon is the weekend. Not that I don't have an hour here or there during the week after work, but it seems to be gobbled up by other things. Weekends are reserved for art and a tiny bit of housework. I rarely do tags anymore it seems, and yet when I picked a few up late in the day I just went at it! No theme, no reason, just did it. I think I will send them off tomorrow to bring some one a smile this week. That's the best part. 

NEW ALTERED KEY CARD

I tried a softer color on my newest altered key card, along with a portrait format instead of landscape. It was more of a struggle this time and I'm not sure if it was the colors that were not jazzing me or if I simply didn't have the creative edge yesterday. When that happens I usually need to stop and just look through magazines or cruise the web to get the juices flowing. Other times I simply have to put it aside, sleep on it, and start again fresh. This morning I was able to add the words and touch it up a bit. Back sides absolutely have to be arted up with the same color, but there I add words or thoughts to finish the piece. This one has the complete thought: "In a sky full of stars it's amazing to find that each is one-of-a-kind.

RECYCLE THOSE PLASTIC GIFT OR COFFEE CARDS

This is a new obsession I've begun. It's altering any hard plastic gift card and transforming them into little pieces of art. This is piece #1. The back of this card simply states "Emily always had unusual pets." It's rather scribbled in white pen as if written by a child. I am thinking of trading these little gems and will consider how I'd like to go about this. Perhaps I will host a little swap right here on my blog. I will also leave some here and there for strangers to find and enjoy. that is part of the found-art movement that started several years ago and I am part of. Anyone out there have a card you can alter? Come play in my sandbox and we can trade these fun pieces. e-mail me or add a comment right here. Start by covering front and back with gesso. Then let the fun begin as you create rich color and texture. On the back write a tiny blip that would go along with the artwork on the front. Don't forget to sign your name somewhere.

FEELING BLUE

I've been battling this blue feeling since I awakened from a troubling dream. A dear soul, someone I know in this world (and possibly a previous one) was very unhappy and then died from a heart attack....or maybe a broken heart since her unhappiness had to do with disappointment in love. There is an understanding in the dream realm where death does not necessarily indicate death, but that concept is of little comfort to me when the grip of saddness shrouds my spirit. No amount of 'self talk' alters the mood, nothing seems to distract me.

So the day slips by and night has arrived and the sweetest time of day in MY world is shadowed by the battle of the day. How is it that a dream can foster such a spiral? And I am now aggitated that my Sunday has been so tainted......so colored........seemingly wasted.

What do YOU do when and if this feeling surrounds you for an entire day? I would love to hear. 

BACK TO MY NEST

With a sigh of relief I am back to my nest, my little world. Surrounded by things that I love and the peacefulness that the average day does not afford me 'out there'. Out there can be the office, a social gathering, standing in line at a post office, you name it. It's the definition of what takes you away from what you enjoy most or more importantly what takes the place of what brings you joy. I have little need of being in the company of many and often prefer time spent quitely alone, or just observing...listening. A whole day spent in my nest creating a piece of artwork, listening to music or in perfect silence is as close to 'nirvana' as it gets.

The sweet face of this "nesting" paperdoll greets me as I return tonight. She was created with inspiration from a recent article in the newest Portals zine www.portals-zine.com written by Angela Petsis. Angela kindly shared her artwork in this fabulous zine and this is my rendition. Take a look at Angelas work on her site at www.angelapetsis.com

GORGEOUS END TO THE DAY!

 
One magical thing I never tire of here is that rain during the daylight hours ALWAYS, always, brings us a rainbow and often it's a double. Growing up in Connecticut, I would practially jump out of my skin if a rainbow appeared for the viewing. It was so very rare. Now I am pretty certain that there will be that glorious treat each and every rain. The sky is so big, and the rainstorms only seem to be in small areas at a time so it's almost a sure thing the storm will be on one side and the clear blue on another. Sun out.......rainbows. How divine is that?! 

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

 
The obsession with snapping photos as I drive home from work continues. What is not clear to the camera lens or the naked eye is the bliss that is attached to this day's photo session. We were dismissed at 2:00 to begin our long holiday weekend!! Three and a half glorious hours (paid!) ahead of schedule. The drive home was a celebration of liberty and blue sky. The cumulus clouds gathering in the North will soon give way to total blue as we head into the Fall and Winter months. I have detected a new and slight change of frangrance in the morning that heralds the end of summer and the promise of cooler days and crisp, starry nights. If you can believe it, we will even be using the fireplace and turning on the heat in a few months. Soon we will see more out of state plates as the snow birds return. We will greet them with a mixture of delight (increased revenue at our cafe) and aggitation (more traffic and longer wait at our favorite dining spots) Such is life here in the Sonoran Desert.