Smashbook pages

So I joined a smashbook page swap. I've never made any sort of smashbook. Though, one could argue that my wall of emphemera is it's own sort of smashwall.

Once I wrapped my head around the concept....I came up with the idea that empty smashbook pages are a lot like empty journal art pages. You set up the
theme and the person can add whatever.

The theme of the swap was "This is the time for...." and then we had to come up with four different words/themes for each of the pages. I think I did pretty well considering I'd never tried anything like this before.

These first four are back/front on two separate pages.

While these last four are done with one larger page folded in half to create a folio.

Funny. I accidentally put all the pictures of the interactive pages on the right.

Burn an ATC Round 2

                                                  The parameters were that
some part of the ATC had to be burned...I tried to be more creative than just burning the edges like I did last time.

Left: "Fireflower" It was beautiful with the live flames as petals.

Right: "Past" My idea was that there is no 'home' to go back to; you can never return to the same place twice. If it hasn't changed, you have.

Art Journal Pages-Bird

 So I attempted to create some art journal pages with the prompt "Bird or Birds".....

On the top left was my first attempt. I like the sentiment, but it's execution was too poor. I should not have wasted the colored stock paper.

I then turned to my favored standard for ATCs and took out a book page. This shape became the basis for my next three pages.

 The basic theme is the wide open possibilities granted by unfettered flight, as I've only just begun realizing that I do not have to tie myself to any one place, thing, or person.

Disappointment, Success, and Cute

 
     So I've been attempting more of the art of the envelope. With the prompt of "flowers," I created this pretty but vaguely uncreative thing. I shall endeavor to be more creative in my next attempts. Though I have decided I do enjoy the combined look of the drawn-over picture. It adds a bit of the illustrator's style, perhaps. I have a few more mail-art prompts coming up. Birds, a colored theme, and one of my choosing.

     Perhaps for the freebies I should start what I once wished to do: pick an artist whose art I enjoy and copy either their style or subject matter. Of course, altering it so that it is my own creation and not merely a copy. This could be a good exercise, if remembered. On the bird theme, I could copy my past success. However, while the receiver may well enjoy it, where is the art in creating a stale copy? Hence a motive for this blog: to keep my art honest, and effort displayed to be judged alongside others of my work.

Fly

Escape

     And here are more ATCs. For this prompt, I had to have some part of the card brunt. I decided to burn the edges and remount it upon another backing.

     I went outside my normal style of things for a mixed media mash-up kind of look. I'm not sure I like what I've made, but I've always wished I 

could create such types of art and these two ATCs are the closest I feel I've gotten yet. 

Therefore, considered a success. :)

     And then, of course, I can't forget about my steampunked sea turtle. At first, I was excited by the prompt "steampunk sea creature." All sorts of ideas flitted around my head of creatures of the deep. However, when it came time to actually create, all ideas fled. Then I found this little guy. I immediately know he needed a monocle and top hat. though how to make him steampunk and not just Victorian....I decided he could be a little machine. Though how steam or smoke billows out underwater, I couldn't tell you. He is cute though, is he not?  ^_^

Bird-Themed

 So I have been busy with lots of art-directed swaps! Here are my ATCs, most of them with a zentangle prompt. Notice how I am learning: I've begun to allow the patterns to be their own barriers and not add artificial border lines. Some are more successful than others.

 This ATC on the top is one I am very proud of. It has a title: "Fibonacci's Tangle." I was inspired by my boyfriend's newest tattoo idea. The rose compass ouroborus also began as another of his tattoo ideas. Though that one I took more liberties with. :) The swap specifications required the use of a gel pen, at which point I both remembered how fun they could be and realized that none of mine really worked anymore and the ones that did work, did so badly.














The ACT that is odd-tangled-out, as it were, is part of a series of bird-themed mail art that I created. The first envelope shown is merely supposed to be doodled while the rest are similarly bird-themed. I went on a supplies-buying spree yesterday and part of what I bought was this funky shopping-list style pad of paper. It has turned out to be most useful. And I cannot claim either of those types of bird images. Though I have taken them out of their original context and altered them somewhat, their original forms can be found while meandering about Google or Pinterest. The idea of the almost tribal/abstracted bird paired with ginko leaves is my own invention, and I still find it rather fascinating.

Keep a lookout for that motif repeating itself!

 

Birthday Surprises

Back a ways, It was Tabitha's b-day. It was a surprise party, so I made a pair of ice-skates to welcome here home. That was the first part of the surprise: We're going ice-skating.

The second part of the surprise was when most of our Ameribuddies were waiting! Then they came back with us to eat delicious cake. I was creative and helped turn a bunny-sized cake pan into a puppy!

Christmas Decorations

Its hard to take pictures at night. :/ But here are some of the beautiful handmade decorations we have warming up our household! My roomie Tabitha found this fun snowflake material at JoAnn's, so she had to create some stockings. When I hung them up, they were a bit lonely, so I used construction paper and cardboard to make us a fireplace! It's pretty warm-feeling, especially when I leave my scrap rug in front of it.  Tonight, I finished making snowflakes and hung them throughout our two main rooms. All that's lacking is the tree. And there are plans to get it next weekend! ^_^

Oh, the snowflakes on the front window are Tabitha's as well. She was keeping me company while I made the fireplace.