tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13514355894311307982024-03-12T20:42:52.745-07:00Artsy Gemini's Crazy WorldI am hoping to stay in touch with the computer art world that I have grown to love. so many new and wonderful people. I have grown so much in my art styles, and feel I can never learn enough or be the best I can be. art evolves in its own way and becomes it's own entity.........I want to learn more ways to be part of the ride!Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-34127064862752104992010-02-23T01:42:00.000-08:002010-02-23T02:43:52.423-08:00multi medium 4x6 post card/ journal pageMulti-Medium Collage/Altered Art:<br />Theme is Nudes<br />Size is 4x6" (post card)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V9-e7cI4mP0ZEBp0xAaGag2NEksGCcf51HIUzACEt4R2PQ0M5_hhjQknN8EYTKjwXFoVTtOWDtCwRPY4Oe50AXnvhFflY_tZ51kU72q2ss9lK7yiDel4v1E5CEW3wDrnqc_DOqRkjQ/s1600-h/4x6+nude+swap-dream+with+me.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441374720612522834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V9-e7cI4mP0ZEBp0xAaGag2NEksGCcf51HIUzACEt4R2PQ0M5_hhjQknN8EYTKjwXFoVTtOWDtCwRPY4Oe50AXnvhFflY_tZ51kU72q2ss9lK7yiDel4v1E5CEW3wDrnqc_DOqRkjQ/s320/4x6+nude+swap-dream+with+me.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div><strong>'Fairy Flight'</strong></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrhK_frxiWkbTRskMIITsgU6ZYtcB06v5A0AVG-gMKSFRhw9chyphenhyphenvPt7gyuL8UGSfDIN9uGPry2xLb5SrScdUSRxKzqikqhWDJUccbJ4LppxvUdE0G4AKQulkMcKBOGsHOuRTZrQDaMg/s1600-h/4x6+nude+swap-to+the+moon.jpg"></a> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>These three pieces are the first in a series that I am working on for a swap with other artists. They are a multi-medium, altered art/collage style.....which is what I love to work in most. The only swap requirements were the size and the theme is Nudes. I chose to make my 'nude' beauties into fairies, which I also love.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGQSTxh1Z9d5KZorUXRPmqfcqLFHPxht8uCC4MCblf95Ejo27uAl1c29kjO83YcPER_wUydsNe4B48oCt_ZSCt9P8wbEMwk9OjzGbYEuFGNy75qodoM3aDwKHK2r9yPq0vURzYAW74Q/s1600-h/4x6+nude+swap-call+me+violet.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 150px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441374402844528354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvGQSTxh1Z9d5KZorUXRPmqfcqLFHPxht8uCC4MCblf95Ejo27uAl1c29kjO83YcPER_wUydsNe4B48oCt_ZSCt9P8wbEMwk9OjzGbYEuFGNy75qodoM3aDwKHK2r9yPq0vURzYAW74Q/s320/4x6+nude+swap-call+me+violet.jpg" /></a></div><div> <strong> 'Call Me Violet'</strong></div><div> </div><div>The background is hand painted in acrylic paints. I used pigment ink pen, markers and distress ink to make the accent drawings. I <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">collage</span> the vintage photos and other images into the designs.......first laying them out and playing around until I liked the arrangement.<br /><br />I covered the entire pieces with a glitter glaze that adds a shimmer and shine to them.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrhK_frxiWkbTRskMIITsgU6ZYtcB06v5A0AVG-gMKSFRhw9chyphenhyphenvPt7gyuL8UGSfDIN9uGPry2xLb5SrScdUSRxKzqikqhWDJUccbJ4LppxvUdE0G4AKQulkMcKBOGsHOuRTZrQDaMg/s1600-h/4x6+nude+swap-to+the+moon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 222px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441374840004054850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVrhK_frxiWkbTRskMIITsgU6ZYtcB06v5A0AVG-gMKSFRhw9chyphenhyphenvPt7gyuL8UGSfDIN9uGPry2xLb5SrScdUSRxKzqikqhWDJUccbJ4LppxvUdE0G4AKQulkMcKBOGsHOuRTZrQDaMg/s320/4x6+nude+swap-to+the+moon.jpg" /></a> </div><div> </div><div>I added a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">dimensional</span> medium to give them a depth and fun texture, as well as a thicker glitter to two of them. I always enjoy making things that are fun to touch and feel, as well as look at. I used small beads to accent as also, making the projects 'chunky'. The wings, crown, and other areas stand out and are not flat looking. They are so much more colorful and 'deep' in person. I wish that they scanned or showed better in a photo. Because the glitter glaze makes photos glare, and the thicker glitter and beads make a scan distorted and not as 'clear'. It is only of concern if you</div><div>are displaying your work on the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Internet</span> or making images for some reason. I am sure there is also a way to get clearer and nicer photos of the art, I just am not aware of any.</div><p> </p><p> <strong> 'To The Moon'</strong></p><br />Some people like to do collage and altered art styles like this, but they do not use the pigment ink pen and markers to do outlining and pen work. I myself, like to do the hand drawing, shading, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">outline</span>, lettering and scroll work. It is a way to add so much more personality and character to the piece. It is also a way to make your art work 'personal'. We all write, draw and doodle in unique ways and abilities. Our artwork becomes recognizable to others. With out the pen work, collage can begin to all look the same. The objects, accents, painting, drawing and other work all come together in a very one of a kind and stylized piece. Each of us gravitate to items and supplies, that capture our personal tastes even when using the same themes or mediums. I love playing around with different mediums, textures and styles all together.........blending and coming up with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">something</span> that is 'me'. This type of project is small enough that you can do several objects at the same time. Because of the size of the items you can accomplish a finished piece of art in a fairly short amount of time. If there is a piece that you are not happy with, it makes it easier to set it aside and focus on the other items you made. You can even start over it you need too, without feeling like you have been drained of all your artistic energy and have used up your time. That is the joy of these mediums and the smaller size.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p></p>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-46114616446688120092010-02-01T23:33:00.000-08:002010-02-01T23:46:43.897-08:00' RECOVERED FROM THE HOLIDAY BURN OUT !'<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM58CimMXlgq_3zsPplI7bmPT37LFf2sgdRlwWq869xHqjruJAkKhEvaIPBGYjQEwJF4Zoo7zPcscUmln5soryuiSE7xsOuC_Gq5TeuTCTPuPMwbDdPiluEdiwejIRFfPWv3eCeyXARA/s1600-h/tylers+painting+2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433549176703068242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM58CimMXlgq_3zsPplI7bmPT37LFf2sgdRlwWq869xHqjruJAkKhEvaIPBGYjQEwJF4Zoo7zPcscUmln5soryuiSE7xsOuC_Gq5TeuTCTPuPMwbDdPiluEdiwejIRFfPWv3eCeyXARA/s320/tylers+painting+2.jpg" /></a><br /><div><embed style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 320px" name="flashticker" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com"></embed><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 400px"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" /></a></div></div><br /><p>I am finally out of the artist slump, block or burnout mood............I took a long break from my artwork to recover from the projects I did to sell, the gifts I made and just the crazyness of preparing for the holidays. and if that was not bad enough, both my husband, my son and I got the wonderful flu and was down for 3 weeks. thank god we were alive and well on christmas. It was a blast to have our son tyler and his love megan, kryston our daughter and our oldest son travis with his girlfriend sopheak with us on christmas day. the kids and megan actually stayed the night so that we would all be up at the crack of dawn together. we also stayed up watching movies and playing games late into the night, I could still hear the kids talking and laughing long after bill and I finally went to bed. it was one of the best christmas' ever, much like when the kids were young and bouncing off the walls until santa came. I have to admit my kids, bill and I are still young at heart and look forward every year to santa coming (still) and the fun of being together christmas morning. </p><br /><p>I finally was able to get busy with my artwork. I finished a painting for my son tyler. he really liked an abstract painting I did several monthes back and asked me to do him one. the other had red sky and ocean, with green moons floating above. since he is always going to miss the mountians that he grew up in, I did the red sky, black mountians with moons and black pine trees. it is still abstract, but it also has a touch of our home in trinity county. I used acrylic paints, a dimentional medium on a canvas. the dimentional medium was added to the trees and the moons so that they have depth and stand out from the sunset type background and mountians. I was glad he really liked it and has it hanging in his front room now. I only wish my ability to take pictures was better.........the painting is much more colorful and has much more depth to it in real life.</p><br /><p></p>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-71569464101492087512009-12-07T12:49:00.000-08:002009-12-07T13:11:41.108-08:00A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN ARTIST............<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoebPDwpx9JEimq6nHALkWQaCwNhzIFqhxVN7YV9NWjWNYfN-5PNMk72Z9Iw-0JosVLM3cI93trOfyc7CRzuZhsvpFK08bZQJwbdbb7MAp7ziYnT1p6y8DleTEXyYrIBHPYbmiaGsHg/s1600-h/DSC_0058_edited-1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 256px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5412601165898067602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoebPDwpx9JEimq6nHALkWQaCwNhzIFqhxVN7YV9NWjWNYfN-5PNMk72Z9Iw-0JosVLM3cI93trOfyc7CRzuZhsvpFK08bZQJwbdbb7MAp7ziYnT1p6y8DleTEXyYrIBHPYbmiaGsHg/s320/DSC_0058_edited-1.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Hi to all of my friends, family and fellow artists! As always..........I have gotten so busy lately, that I have neglected my blog. I am horrible at blogging..........but at least you don't have to find time to read all of mine! I recently joined a group on flickr called 'A Day In The Life Of An Artist...' . The goal of this group is to upload frequent photos of yourself that show who you are and what you do, rather than just showing your artwork. I think this is a great idea and a fun way to get to know the artists that you have come to know over the internet art world. So I thought it would be fun to blog those photos that I upload to this group. you will get to see VERY RARE pics of me......cause I hate being the subject of photos, I am much more comfortable collecting photos of family and friends for my art! I hope you enjoy the ones that I show you.....</div><div> </div><div>This photo was taken a couple of nights ago at a basketball tourny in Anderson CA. My husband and I went so he could take pics and so I could jump up and down and yell alot. </div><div>I have always loved sports and played basketball, volleyball ,softball and track. I started playing sports in grade school and continued through high school and college. Bill was a football and track star in high school, so he loves going too. All three of our boys played basketball, track, baseball and football and our daughter played volleyball and was a cheerleader. This allowed me to feed my love of sports after I no longer played. We went to every home game and most of the away games to support the kids. Bill and I continue to go to as many games as we can even though all of our kids have now graduated. Bill is a hobby photographer and started taking photos at the games and sending them to the newspaper in our small home town. Our town was not the 'main' town of the newspapers coverage and we were frustrated that our town's athletes were not getting the same coverage as those in our neighboring community. He continues to do that now, even though we no longer live in our home town and county. </div><div align="justify"> I was happy that Bill was nice enough to take this photo, instead of my 'NORMAL' pose, of mouth open yelling and jumping up and down. LOL I am going to try and have bill take more photos that will show who I am, my loves and what makes me tick, as well as my love of art! hope you are well and happy.................sandy</div><div> </div><br /><div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-49927670791024375532009-11-01T01:59:00.000-07:002009-11-01T01:16:20.156-08:00just finished some chunky pages!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrz6ZjbE9prPTv0GT5rTLsdfP0NmxfCPmcqpL6eIZaeNSQOSKpjMqlwBoiiKEA-elPLN3jgO7wVK_Cyg43u0WaZfvcVK63MZwj-oLr4Ft6C9kYQgqmF_jLZSzE57uuus5r1z_3dddrA/s1600-h/'you've+been+challenged%27+swap-deb%27s+page_edited-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399059743317956098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSrz6ZjbE9prPTv0GT5rTLsdfP0NmxfCPmcqpL6eIZaeNSQOSKpjMqlwBoiiKEA-elPLN3jgO7wVK_Cyg43u0WaZfvcVK63MZwj-oLr4Ft6C9kYQgqmF_jLZSzE57uuus5r1z_3dddrA/s320/'you've+been+challenged%27+swap-deb%27s+page_edited-1.jpg" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8-UZy7wQtRs0XuuVwfCZyrHk2y1A4PDg9JpmNGXb9_hd8j2jveFLMvpg856Uti2-HRmtesxEfRP3ZPMYQUxLzdX5TWDIIt6OAp_6-U8qa7FEEVQWdYKpbGGPa4ie0-OYofWq9CJHIw/s1600-h/'you've+been+challenged%27+swap-eileen%27s+page_edited-1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 200px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 298px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399059548179331826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy8-UZy7wQtRs0XuuVwfCZyrHk2y1A4PDg9JpmNGXb9_hd8j2jveFLMvpg856Uti2-HRmtesxEfRP3ZPMYQUxLzdX5TWDIIt6OAp_6-U8qa7FEEVQWdYKpbGGPa4ie0-OYofWq9CJHIw/s320/'you've+been+challenged%27+swap-eileen%27s+page_edited-1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>well..........after another long bout of no computer, due to a wonderful virus........I finally uploaded some pics of some chunky pages that I finished. the pages were from a swap called 'you've been challenged'. it was a fun swap, and a tad different than most. first you took 4 bags and put 5 misc. items into each one. those baggies are then mailed off to the host, who then sends them out to those in the swap. you get four baggies back with other artists 5 challenge items in each one. you are 'challenged' to incorporate those items into the chunky pages you make. you may embellish your pages with other items as you see fit. they were really fun to make. it is good for someone like me who is obsessive compulsive and always takes everything to the extreme degree, and the descriptions to a 'T'. I loved having the challenge items to make me work outside of the box. I made one page for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">egrobeck</span>....the challenge items were a shell, a starfish charm, a seahorse charm, aqua blue beads and a black and white print of a lighthouse and quote.</div><br /><br /><div>I used chalks and photo pens to color the print, and added distress ink, threads and buttons to accent the multi medium page. it is one of my favorite pages.</div><div>The other page I posted was made for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">landofnodstudio</span>. the challenge items were the bird image from a vintage napkin, a gold heart jewelry piece, vintage music sheet , the stamps and vintage book page. I used the music sheet and book page as background, accented the edges with a stamped image of tree limbs and distress ink. I used stamps and a scrabble piece to add the quote. embellished with a gold crown, glitter paint and matching threads. </div><div>both pages are 4"x4" in size and such a fun multi medium project. I love collage and chunky style altered art and these pages are just the right size for a project.\</div><div>once the pages are all done, you send them back to the host who then <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">separates</span> them and send the four finished pages that others made with your own 'challenge' items. I have pretty good number of pages that I have made into books, and I love turning the pages and seeing the art and styles of other artists. </div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; WIDTH: 400px"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" /></a></div></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-41667399002858102932009-09-14T14:55:00.001-07:002009-09-14T16:45:57.308-07:00My Hang Out and My New Table<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxU_xmxx-Uiv5vnjCxkwC2ZbDHU_bURTf8YmU2oLkhmdWUU2lBPdRYWeCPmnPelFeN421D16nKfJIffvoRkNC_wqLGGo5zvJxmCB4NiXGEDeL6eFCq4Tz0tHTpbt-ujAEl-Olefjybow/s1600-h/art+room+table+top+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381466291072054402" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxU_xmxx-Uiv5vnjCxkwC2ZbDHU_bURTf8YmU2oLkhmdWUU2lBPdRYWeCPmnPelFeN421D16nKfJIffvoRkNC_wqLGGo5zvJxmCB4NiXGEDeL6eFCq4Tz0tHTpbt-ujAEl-Olefjybow/s320/art+room+table+top+1.jpg" /></a> Since dropping of the planet this last week, I have been a busy bee. I normally write about my artwork or my family but I thought I would share my latest project with everyone. Sorry I went overboard witht the pictures.......I am a photo fanatic, what else can I say. In my art room I have a draftmans type desk and a table that Bill made for me. I came up with the idea to 'spruce' up the table. Those of you who know me , know that I love to collage. There are many giant collages in my art room and in the homes of family members. I am obsessed with photos and love to put them together in one piece of art. So I decided to use a few small family pictures and then I dug out a slew of doodle drawings I did, prints of some of my art and notes and cards that Bill and the kids have given me over the years all together on the table top. After all of the collage work was done, I used a pigment ink pen and did the scroll and accent artwork. I used a finish over the entire top and then when that was dry I put a clear adhesive over the table top to make it more durable. I love the way it turned out. After it was finished I decided to get ambishous and clean and organize my art room as well, so I thought I would show them off too.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszty-YpSFneiEn2PleVN8vDMFN1i9vNiT142-8i9QVw39piO0d49GIYKoUjxzPv3SyBF4g3lYJgolRipsx2opbPMAKOUGJ_jtU8RyoCl4ye83dDZrS4z5kVZbq27G3OX82W4wwLMRZA/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+18.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381465492646981842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszty-YpSFneiEn2PleVN8vDMFN1i9vNiT142-8i9QVw39piO0d49GIYKoUjxzPv3SyBF4g3lYJgolRipsx2opbPMAKOUGJ_jtU8RyoCl4ye83dDZrS4z5kVZbq27G3OX82W4wwLMRZA/s320/close+up+of+art+table+18.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>Family photo from a couple of thanksgivings ago. Bill is about 80 pounds lighter than that pic and I am now about 50 pounds lighter as well...but we have not had a chance to do a family pic since then.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLoluRIk1cB6eT7REPIvqM030bi98WavtBw9curQ1ibWn4tSGmQIz7rN4NKnWlpUV1yBI2VpQT5Of4OtZpI0HEL1MGa-EAE6W6g_jG3dhwqNXYgiPzs2-sG5uK5nJvAPvZ7splKGJJA/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+17.jpg"><span style="color:#000000;"></span><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381464990196387762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLoluRIk1cB6eT7REPIvqM030bi98WavtBw9curQ1ibWn4tSGmQIz7rN4NKnWlpUV1yBI2VpQT5Of4OtZpI0HEL1MGa-EAE6W6g_jG3dhwqNXYgiPzs2-sG5uK5nJvAPvZ7splKGJJA/s320/close+up+of+art+table+17.jpg" /></a> This picture is of Tony the middle son with one of my cards I saved because I loved the fairy, and I never...never ....ever throw anything away. I also used one of my many hand written quotes that I have been sticking all over my work area for years. Whenever I see something that is funny,interesting or inspirational, I write it down and cover my work area with them.<br /><br /><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><br />This pic shows a small photo of our youngest son Tyler and a note he wrote me way back when he was in lower grade school.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqJ-4kIRECT_WB4u7cmDbBUCGHttR5Jov7ltoq7mtZj7pXwRgouzvOjMcUJJ6EiC4ZOg1PpE64ELW5RB-97oNhL67abEXsliLqZ7gCdu3EmJbPozSZDB_9nOWINzjZvFRX5HXGxP8Xg/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+15.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381462573750641410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqJ-4kIRECT_WB4u7cmDbBUCGHttR5Jov7ltoq7mtZj7pXwRgouzvOjMcUJJ6EiC4ZOg1PpE64ELW5RB-97oNhL67abEXsliLqZ7gCdu3EmJbPozSZDB_9nOWINzjZvFRX5HXGxP8Xg/s320/close+up+of+art+table+15.jpg" /></a> This shows one of my favorite elf drawings and of course a picture and saying that Bill used on a homemade Valentine.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUg6qxTmHpCJ05saFoD84omGX9cbukJFEZupzANCdsQdn9M-dp9BwZiWpe4-8qHLNdkhmpMbiiLmSsrZsRQPf5l_I0y27BGO0TbdyQ_UUItvBfA63kT3OI6j9MYtqMRhKE2KyNjD-VHA/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+14.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381461966681034386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUg6qxTmHpCJ05saFoD84omGX9cbukJFEZupzANCdsQdn9M-dp9BwZiWpe4-8qHLNdkhmpMbiiLmSsrZsRQPf5l_I0y27BGO0TbdyQ_UUItvBfA63kT3OI6j9MYtqMRhKE2KyNjD-VHA/s320/close+up+of+art+table+14.jpg" /></a> In the center you see a small picture of our beautiful and only daughter Kryston. Her picture is at the top of a homemade Valentine she made me when she was very young. Around these is several pieces of my art work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejV9kQe-iUHOrwsufy_EAofgRlaEQ273AtKTUpU95yLqgIUPuIsiJbkuamye9coFmF6DQT7F_KGh7IZ3Nrc5DrEuxYsACd7FOMDGGxJbdJGjvBsU7dyk3eZhJTzHVT2vbBSEp_8FAIw/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+7.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381461145410127058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejV9kQe-iUHOrwsufy_EAofgRlaEQ273AtKTUpU95yLqgIUPuIsiJbkuamye9coFmF6DQT7F_KGh7IZ3Nrc5DrEuxYsACd7FOMDGGxJbdJGjvBsU7dyk3eZhJTzHVT2vbBSEp_8FAIw/s320/close+up+of+art+table+7.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />My favorite theme has always been joker/jesters, gemini, fairies/elves and gnomes. they are in alot of my work.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div>This one shows an old birthday card with the number 6. My favorite number, I was born on 6/6/64, only if I had been born in 66 would it be more cool. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fj9tZ9rKKEZGJcwu75OFn3e0ovPl4lYnvS7p4WaQoZs74hKf5JSTnagu76wtEXp5KvyRLeKpqB9TUb9zpIdyZQ-ZvGy1xMSuz31uEEmdSxUhopHMC8p28MOJ_LtmLnnv7ylkG_oAMQ/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 219px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381460258835092066" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4fj9tZ9rKKEZGJcwu75OFn3e0ovPl4lYnvS7p4WaQoZs74hKf5JSTnagu76wtEXp5KvyRLeKpqB9TUb9zpIdyZQ-ZvGy1xMSuz31uEEmdSxUhopHMC8p28MOJ_LtmLnnv7ylkG_oAMQ/s320/close+up+of+art+table+3.jpg" /></a> Next to the charcoal drawing in the bottom photo, is our oldest son Travis. He is much older now, but I love this picture of him, it is my favorite from when he was in high school.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYYbUmv8KCBPm7KYmuLmNXhIB1Bl6j84kr1HrnrYbmUwHQxYEHrBWcslHy6acGmA3NPjp6_OzIe2eMn8DnTUsxbDOJYv5pY-d1w14Mv5c6K_XsjBo8Lr6dhcfzidiVNtsF9_7C9SlUA/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381459363744348722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYYbUmv8KCBPm7KYmuLmNXhIB1Bl6j84kr1HrnrYbmUwHQxYEHrBWcslHy6acGmA3NPjp6_OzIe2eMn8DnTUsxbDOJYv5pY-d1w14Mv5c6K_XsjBo8Lr6dhcfzidiVNtsF9_7C9SlUA/s320/close+up+of+art+table+1.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXCL9kw0jeRrk-4-HlMpYR6VzK8XKxduyISMIOEInK1VPdzZit5WuHB-pQhSF4fdvQ3_KtzUyD5aJIvODpbBAQeozrS8CmkHOuIQ-QOVAmdlEEoXfDJCXh-4K4jc2hJMltwxh0Yligw/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381458772781894546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEXCL9kw0jeRrk-4-HlMpYR6VzK8XKxduyISMIOEInK1VPdzZit5WuHB-pQhSF4fdvQ3_KtzUyD5aJIvODpbBAQeozrS8CmkHOuIQ-QOVAmdlEEoXfDJCXh-4K4jc2hJMltwxh0Yligw/s320/close+up+of+art+table+4.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoMFHCQTgpojBBSpYyQaVcVd9CEd5JTZr3aoe4kjj40YuMYVkcEkCzu0rq3q8PgTIK9ENh8h-7EU20dC1VF5R5e-_ZWp1HsbpMLBYWZAab-BNNVCMdKB08SCND3kg8l-ym2-wRg6pWg/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+5.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381458052460361330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRoMFHCQTgpojBBSpYyQaVcVd9CEd5JTZr3aoe4kjj40YuMYVkcEkCzu0rq3q8PgTIK9ENh8h-7EU20dC1VF5R5e-_ZWp1HsbpMLBYWZAab-BNNVCMdKB08SCND3kg8l-ym2-wRg6pWg/s320/close+up+of+art+table+5.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaMSjBKCDSk8HekYv_qbIxM76Y1o1fm5FTAThLJm-VLkprcNIpJ1KqtkX7rgAxe1r85uPY2_hJ-i2U0MkvmfcjDzCOkzTEnyGEz6PfmjiKjTRmyWLs8Zq_fvtudnboeSg_ZSKSjRUAw/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+9.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 236px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381457225290410626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJaMSjBKCDSk8HekYv_qbIxM76Y1o1fm5FTAThLJm-VLkprcNIpJ1KqtkX7rgAxe1r85uPY2_hJ-i2U0MkvmfcjDzCOkzTEnyGEz6PfmjiKjTRmyWLs8Zq_fvtudnboeSg_ZSKSjRUAw/s320/close+up+of+art+table+9.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDIaez2ZUKs2kYNOoCCoO6pA3-pZKFdAMP2PmuXPe6dtyCvCozOd7m6jzgvGLQhx7nYmzl-cv-l6VfTexy9AnPnyS5uIblN79pdxUTdGAeRlOflHdhrZuNKpRCN2Ss_6_Fn9tQeFnIg/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+10.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381456461977234658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDIaez2ZUKs2kYNOoCCoO6pA3-pZKFdAMP2PmuXPe6dtyCvCozOd7m6jzgvGLQhx7nYmzl-cv-l6VfTexy9AnPnyS5uIblN79pdxUTdGAeRlOflHdhrZuNKpRCN2Ss_6_Fn9tQeFnIg/s320/close+up+of+art+table+10.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7l-eSi_nJpjboH3haRkJH2lC4JpjJkbUkZRnyRNyDkHrFqSXW8K1kGuwgk25Ijbz-J-CnhOPA-bsrn0Tt8OfZMl0Aiz9DNIpB9q6AzC02h_TZ-AOHZlVud69dYQyL6Kw-MnFeId7U3Q/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+12.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381455645285152818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7l-eSi_nJpjboH3haRkJH2lC4JpjJkbUkZRnyRNyDkHrFqSXW8K1kGuwgk25Ijbz-J-CnhOPA-bsrn0Tt8OfZMl0Aiz9DNIpB9q6AzC02h_TZ-AOHZlVud69dYQyL6Kw-MnFeId7U3Q/s320/close+up+of+art+table+12.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeaL3fm3K7q7xgQ_9SNCCTwMPgCFwdTZnyATkSIjZ84A5o5hBy9xb_nV00ZzQr8jxvx_aKDJN38yePpxl2z2TvmZQfpojh-KUYIcZ5GzzYXjbTlpa0rKpvUzRLqC8UshzObsRKaMJrw/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+13.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 220px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381454657687605906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLeaL3fm3K7q7xgQ_9SNCCTwMPgCFwdTZnyATkSIjZ84A5o5hBy9xb_nV00ZzQr8jxvx_aKDJN38yePpxl2z2TvmZQfpojh-KUYIcZ5GzzYXjbTlpa0rKpvUzRLqC8UshzObsRKaMJrw/s320/close+up+of+art+table+13.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyvefHdYHohOJel3phxEfnZtCJxq2McsnRUwttxDElCa52Rl9tDmHXqCTFkv8kxXbKhe7SYEvG15gjrQVybVKpssN8Hi_FwcJZ2uXvUV_jwexgFt6UNZJPBcX2jnLDv6h-NvBO6Gs2ow/s1600-h/close+up+of+art+table+11.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; 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WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 235px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381448843880526882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO6C4gIz-II5-hF-x6BrzextWShmfIyemzlwALYHVfZIq7iQRN4GgXAZAF8FxiFuEPLsiOI-sJ1EgkK5c3IMUxf-sW8aHLwsAdxSUhyphenhyphenXj95tnUF_bPLrUCInsNLYy64s5wGovAvVIxbw/s320/art+room+scan+3.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKd19VUYLydP4HN5IjInSTG5xsOefDTu2LsCP1usDfxIqmN3-OHFBZd7XiNIsR5EeHRq0U0zCjso8F0cT9JBPBc2lyUjm-PkRpjSJjrt_bxRisAKWpRumpcWSAtPu3TwqbKrMZe8rPQ/s1600-h/art+room+scan+2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381448002394870658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKd19VUYLydP4HN5IjInSTG5xsOefDTu2LsCP1usDfxIqmN3-OHFBZd7XiNIsR5EeHRq0U0zCjso8F0cT9JBPBc2lyUjm-PkRpjSJjrt_bxRisAKWpRumpcWSAtPu3TwqbKrMZe8rPQ/s320/art+room+scan+2.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXwKXO7XFeUSenqpumo9FFfvMIwX8MXKGUtNyiLYSWGb8i7ZBS9qXqBDDSVl2igyIgWdFbACiyYmXFq8oKbQEjl8UA4OA1Gw34z8Tez-EfKGv2ndTwQ8PP42wE2yBq9GjsvLjZNDm0w/s1600-h/art+room+scan+1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381447271002530082" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXwKXO7XFeUSenqpumo9FFfvMIwX8MXKGUtNyiLYSWGb8i7ZBS9qXqBDDSVl2igyIgWdFbACiyYmXFq8oKbQEjl8UA4OA1Gw34z8Tez-EfKGv2ndTwQ8PP42wE2yBq9GjsvLjZNDm0w/s320/art+room+scan+1.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-29968716070870801792009-08-12T15:32:00.000-07:002009-08-12T15:32:26.237-07:00Artsy Gemini's Crazy World: just finishing up on one order and starting another....<a href="http://artsygemini.blogspot.com/2009/08/just-finishing-up-on-one-order-and.html#links">Artsy Gemini's Crazy World: just finishing up on one order and starting another....</a><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com" style="width:400px;height:320px" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width:400px;text-align:left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-45990547510455055692009-08-12T15:11:00.000-07:002009-08-12T15:31:18.558-07:00just finishing up on one order and starting another....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP13Ys7s-RcycWOQQSI8D_Gy1qNBYzNntGPKSolrchlm__92dVAiABoyMd8Ckxne44Lh_6pevlGmZ6HC3nn03dAFdIavyNQrfPgXxopRFtohSF0IfbjDwH5oGtDG7eUdDiN1NY6NGiSA/s1600-h/amanda+promo+necklace+silver+front+closeup.jpg"><img style="float:left; 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margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrelJHQuLzjXkH3_Ew73PPUVIQfCz3i3v-em3nXXX1Hd4QLdXUY_oghxPwB-4X8chyphenhyphen4MFCQWaenUDVyIrDQHtdWpbxyZvoLx1G85SM8gdqdM1-KRNNYhCdOpIsHQcSbPma7U4C_MFRA/s320/amanda+promo+atc+5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369205861855822034" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC_4GWbDi5jMXmsnbMrtQpx9yWEBf7A74fCa5tuT3ZJelZN5cH-XnrvlIOliPqRChJ-DlkkdNc7dIzFcMYzeFiJYooaG76NbXx1ieV9C5NMQDyATRUIHPwandaMqnN1JtX0QuGvpLqw/s1600-h/amanda+promo+atc+4.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC_4GWbDi5jMXmsnbMrtQpx9yWEBf7A74fCa5tuT3ZJelZN5cH-XnrvlIOliPqRChJ-DlkkdNc7dIzFcMYzeFiJYooaG76NbXx1ieV9C5NMQDyATRUIHPwandaMqnN1JtX0QuGvpLqw/s320/amanda+promo+atc+4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369205851658642914" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWLaP3q-mDLuh0mwaQw2J-SudbctpaAD-PhvoFoydTWX03DGlLtJWbPiAtjjRXYMTuZtuQuZlBLmwGrHOj6oqBrZhTr8mzK1ZBegr_SEic5WV1rcGmktuh2lMvHtRlYnnkN1TnSmUfg/s1600-h/amanda+promo+atc+2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 230px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyWLaP3q-mDLuh0mwaQw2J-SudbctpaAD-PhvoFoydTWX03DGlLtJWbPiAtjjRXYMTuZtuQuZlBLmwGrHOj6oqBrZhTr8mzK1ZBegr_SEic5WV1rcGmktuh2lMvHtRlYnnkN1TnSmUfg/s320/amanda+promo+atc+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369205842160077490" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2U6KwS9LFZ-HIsirSj5fONy8yrdoNZ-kBYvhygrx_h9gfckIcJuXRKv3ULEqXWdAXcokzWnN1ib_Uf4hkRir5eueKKLddlx_1H5lP7-9dVii2O68BXKja3QTC51fHxyJFY0G9Vr9Ww/s1600-h/amanda+promo+atc+1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 229px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia2U6KwS9LFZ-HIsirSj5fONy8yrdoNZ-kBYvhygrx_h9gfckIcJuXRKv3ULEqXWdAXcokzWnN1ib_Uf4hkRir5eueKKLddlx_1H5lP7-9dVii2O68BXKja3QTC51fHxyJFY0G9Vr9Ww/s320/amanda+promo+atc+1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369205833149641010" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM02Gwuluv1l2exahlMOY8ro9MuLapVSyUgCePmp8M_LIc_3QjHsOIwTpVmqvDIZm624hr0_RWQ_RZFzPI2NPdTvTOAX0O8yEvOEGry-PfRIrRTRW6JnJoQQ8N_xiVn8CY9nH-38ta5g/s1600-h/amanda+palmer+promo+altered+art+lunch+box+pkg.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM02Gwuluv1l2exahlMOY8ro9MuLapVSyUgCePmp8M_LIc_3QjHsOIwTpVmqvDIZm624hr0_RWQ_RZFzPI2NPdTvTOAX0O8yEvOEGry-PfRIrRTRW6JnJoQQ8N_xiVn8CY9nH-38ta5g/s320/amanda+palmer+promo+altered+art+lunch+box+pkg.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369205822865027202" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hyz4lzT6SnlpzddozbE0YkJda63PmbhKhykk7elQgUbkta9vfuQlojcWz4gpEJ-lSUmsWQJ17U1mQbmnwAmaLJzSaCyUCEhThn3HZ2cGhTEIvfvOLCtxsq5AiCjZvU57Vu-qpqcksw/s1600-h/amanda+palmer+promo+altered+art+cd+closeup.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 312px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hyz4lzT6SnlpzddozbE0YkJda63PmbhKhykk7elQgUbkta9vfuQlojcWz4gpEJ-lSUmsWQJ17U1mQbmnwAmaLJzSaCyUCEhThn3HZ2cGhTEIvfvOLCtxsq5AiCjZvU57Vu-qpqcksw/s320/amanda+palmer+promo+altered+art+cd+closeup.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369204299756834786" /></a><br />I just finished up my latest art projects for singer 'Amanda Palmer' and Post-War Trade. I had fun designing and making some new items for her. I did more altered art mini lunch boxes with a different theme than last time, different color scheme. and than I also did some promo items also. now that these pieces are all packaged and ready to mail, I have moved on to work on a canvas that is done in the 'steampunk' theme. It is a multi-media piece with collage and 'chunky' aspects. I will post it when I have it totally finished. then I will try and finish a painting that I am doing for someone. staying busy between the art projects and working out at the gym.Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-60534623372063387402009-08-03T02:04:00.000-07:002009-08-03T02:20:05.438-07:00just an update.........hiya friends and fellow artists. thought I better check in and blog something, rather than waiting for six months and then feeling overwhelmed about what to say. along with being busy with the 'steam punk' journal, I have been working on another shipment of altered art mini lunch boxes for singer 'amanda palmer'. I am happy to have them done and ready to ship out. the last bunch I did was for the band that she sang in 'the dresden dolls'. now the group they put together (post-war trade) to sell great art items on, is focusing on just amanda. I also did some promo items for her and will upload them in my flickr. you can see the lunch boxes and other stuff on my flickr or the group is also on flickr. it has been fun coming up with ideas for her. I am also working on a painting for someone. they wanted a theme that is fun and funky, but it is also a little out of my comfort zone. I am much more comfortable on collage, drawing or acrylic painting on items, like saw blades or wood items. painting on a canvas is something I do only once in a great while. since the theme is abstract though, how can you go wrong. not being perfect or a little wacked is ok in the world of abstract. lol I will upload it when it is done. thank god there is not a deadline on it. I am fitting it in between several other projects. <br />bill, kryston and I planned on traveling to hayfork, our other home, and joining in on the big ball tourney fun. lots of people return for the softball games and seeing old friends. but of course our car chose this weekend to go kaput. we were disappointed to not get to see everyone! but I got alot done around the house and in my art room. we are still going to the gym alot, and bill was going so much that the staff decided to hire him part time to work there. he goes so often that he might as well work there. he goes 6 to 7 times a week. the kids and I go more like 5. bill has lost an amazing 80+ pounds and is still on a roll. I am lagging behind with losing about 50 pounds now. I am happy to say that I weigh less than my kids now. that was a blast to be able to say. tyler has been right on my tail though and getting back into good shape. he gets to run though, so I tell him it is not fair. the kids are busy with work and dating. tyler and megan are doing well. so I can happily say all is well..............til next time. ;0) sandyArtsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-72389942769507201722009-07-23T00:59:00.000-07:002009-07-23T01:18:46.758-07:00my first journal book<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUX1W7sptcsgA9kZOT_v3OugtMFy9ebU1AjpqFrHyz3V_xJBYZfUpbOmENJt6TZtAlZh3N7MDIy97k74Dik9Og6vA6D7RsZBM4htPPmxqlrteulI_9YnvkhDaGl01Ljbd4H6eHtdAwvA/s1600-h/steampunk+journal+front.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUX1W7sptcsgA9kZOT_v3OugtMFy9ebU1AjpqFrHyz3V_xJBYZfUpbOmENJt6TZtAlZh3N7MDIy97k74Dik9Og6vA6D7RsZBM4htPPmxqlrteulI_9YnvkhDaGl01Ljbd4H6eHtdAwvA/s320/steampunk+journal+front.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5361567041164893330" /></a><br />hey I finally got a blog that is closer than months apart....there is hope for me after all. I just finished my first journal book for a swap. it is in the style or genre of 'steampunk'. it is kinda a funny story, I was reading an article in the last 'somerset studio' the may/june 2009 magazine by stampington. the article is called 'collages honor the spirit of steampunk'. when I saw the pictures of the artists pieces and read the article.........I had that feeling of finding my way home. I have always loved to do collage and altered art, I often try to put my own emotion and flavor in all of my work. when asked what style my work is called, I would often respond 'a vintage altered art collage style'. I never really thought my collage art had a 'real' style, but after reading this article I realized there is a name for the style and theme work that I love to do. this article talks about the genre and work called 'steampunk' and it is me! my style really does have a name....woohooo. the altered art collage work that uses vintage photos, old buttons, gears, movable pieces and ephemera that is along the style of the steam engine era. then not even a week after reading this article, I was lucky enough to join a swap with some other artists that is a journal book in the steampunk theme. how cool is that! getting to do my very first journal book and in the theme I love. in the swap each artist makes a cover front and back. you make a sign in page on the first two pages, for the artists to put their personal info. and I did a two page spread at the end of the book that is my artwork. I send the journal off and each of the other artists in the swap do a two page spread in their own steampunk style, then send it to the next artist to do the same. after each artist has done a two page spread in your journal, it is mailed back to you and you have a wonderful finished and one of a kind book. I took a whole lot of pictures to show my cover, sign in pages, and two page spread before mailing it off for the other artists to do their artwork. this project was a blast and I enjoyed it alot. if you would like to see all of the photos, I uploaded them in my flickr page. you can see them at www.flickr.com/photos/artsygemini . I hope you can take a second and look at them, and if you have time tell me what you think!Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-10275263420941582602009-07-12T22:29:00.000-07:002009-07-12T22:45:49.937-07:00hi friends, fellow artists and loved ones! I have been off line for several weeks, due to another computer crash. God I need a new one bad! my son travis came up from san jose to visit and fix it for me. I hope it lasts longer until it happens again. things have been busy in our world. bill's ankle gets better and better all the time. after joining the gym in feb. he has lost 80 + pounds, I call him the incredible shrinking man. I have lost about 40, which is not bad since I can not do most of the stuff he does. between swimming and a stationary bike that you do not use your arms, i am getting stronger and stronger. if i get to gung ho, i still get the migraines, but am learning what I can do and what I can not. bill had a doctor apt. in san francisco last week, so we spent two days there. we had not ever been to alcatraz, so kryston surprised us with tickets to the island for our anniversary this month. (24 years!) we also met up with bill's old friend kelly , and his favorite cousin leslie.......had a nice dinner on the wharf. we went to the pier and wharf on our honeymoon, so it was fun to go again. we had a blast on haight and ashbury st. bill's inner hippie really showed. we took pictures of each other in alcatraz in a cell also. bill named his on his facebook 'from cop to convict' . i collected more street sign photos, that bill pointed out that I have collected since 2006 and not done anything with yet, but I really do plan to do a large collage with them 'someday'. since bill is the great photog....he got many many great shots. megan and tyler took a trip to oregon again for her little sister's graduation. travis has a new girlfriend, from the redding area, so I have a feeling he may be moving closer to home again. kryston has been busy with work, and unfortunately had a somewhat minor car accident the night of the redding fireworks. she had some minor bruises and did some damage to her right wrist, but is ok thank god. i am starting a new order of altered art for the singer amanda palmer (the band dresden dolls). I have also been doing some swap art and a couple of special orders. I am going to do a painting for someone local. an abstract, which is not something I do all the time, so it will be fun. anyway , at least I have kinda caught up a little and hope to do another blog soon showing some of the art I have done while I was unable to get on line. hugs to all! sandyArtsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-78622454748585573792009-05-28T14:27:00.000-07:002009-05-28T14:48:22.844-07:00HI to all my artfriends.........sorry I kinda been falling flat in the bogging. I am almost as bad about blogging as I am about writing in a journal. life is wizzing by as usual. oldest son, travis is home for a visit. kryston, tyler and megan have moved into a very nice town house apt. they even have a garage.........big time improvment over their last place, not counting home of course. lol kryston and the people she works with have left their old company and formed a new one on their own. they were lucky enough that most of their clients followed them. she really enjoys working with develomentally challenged adults and she is good at it. tyler is still plugging away at walmart and is doing well there. he is still trying to decide if he wants to go to the CHP academy when he turns 21, or if he wants to go to school to become a physical trainer. he would be great at either. megan was promoted at her job to asst. manager, she works at a maternity shop in the mall. travis has been working in sanjose at a construction job. tony is in arizona finishing his time in the army. he is going to be a dad too. bill has become the incredible shrinking man. his ankle has done so well that he is able to work out at the gym and ride a bike often with some of our friends. he has lost 50+ pounds and is looking amazing. I am still plugging away in the pool. I am even able to ride a stationary bike that you don't use your arms, for some times. I have lost almost thirty pounds now. much slower than bill, but as long as I keep getting smaller, I am ok with that. with the spring and now summer weather, I am a much happier person. enjoy the warm weather so much more. the whole family has been passing a flu, back and forth. bill and I have not been as bad off as the kids, but just have no energy and a sore throat. tyler and megan are taking a trip to her home in oregon for her little sisters graduation. they are looking forward to that. bill, kryston and I are traveling to ukiah for our nephew caleb's graduation. that will leave my only niece amy still in school. she will have two more years to go. wow the kids have all grown up. bill and I have been watching our kids friends little girl off and on. krystal was in tyler's class and blue was in travis' class. their baby girl kasi is almost 6 monthes old now. they do not live far from us and when their jobs overlap, we look after her. she reminds me of kryston when she was a baby. never cries, never fusses and is a beautiful little girl. because my neck is always an issue with me, bill has been the one to lift her and do alot of the work with her. been awhile since either of us took care of a baby, but she is such a doll, that it is pretty easy. her mommy lived with us for awhile when she was young, and so it is kinda like having a grand baby. I have also been working on different art projects and things to sell in my shop as well as my sites where I swap. sooooooo life is busy as usual. I promise to get on and blog sooner next time...........really!Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-90441574490561823712009-04-07T18:12:00.001-07:002009-04-07T18:13:06.437-07:00<p style="visibility:visible;"><object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://widget-f2.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" height="320" width="426" style="width:426px;height:320px"><param name="movie" value="http://widget-f2.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><param name="salign" value="l" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"/> <param name="flashvars" value="cy=ms&il=1&channel=3026418949607625970&site=widget-f2.slide.com"/></object><p style="white-space:nowrap"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=fl&id=3026418949607625970&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f2.slide.com/p1/3026418949607625970/ms_t024_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=fl&id=3026418949607625970&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f2.slide.com/p2/3026418949607625970/ms_t024_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=ms&at=fl&id=3026418949607625970&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-f2.slide.com/p4/3026418949607625970/ms_t024_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" ismap="ismap" /></a></p></p>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-43219991959912877222009-04-07T16:41:00.000-07:002009-04-07T16:57:48.155-07:00trying to catch up<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbB8RgEqaL8Uvo-oAhRMf4xtrNFZVpO87lSHq0xNZMVEH_YVmBeYDsd3KsNycRYsscnjT9_2XRA8puabWYpaE7SuciuAjIO9GjEyUcptdlbjVX60IJa5Uaaoz5EJu9p0U9jbK6sA_QA/s1600-h/'A+Moment+in+Time%27+mixed+media+monocromatics+ATCs4all.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322102708606052754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 250px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 284px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcbB8RgEqaL8Uvo-oAhRMf4xtrNFZVpO87lSHq0xNZMVEH_YVmBeYDsd3KsNycRYsscnjT9_2XRA8puabWYpaE7SuciuAjIO9GjEyUcptdlbjVX60IJa5Uaaoz5EJu9p0U9jbK6sA_QA/s320/'A+Moment+in+Time%27+mixed+media+monocromatics+ATCs4all.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div><atomicelement id="ms__id4207"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgICUI3WI310WgX6CToKatZAx-QuX3Z0Pv0hAjQTTU6wGxRLaviETBLiQL8V2XicpKmUJexIZj9LoOEo7FOiBqXgZ_kdFA0l1_O302Drdgg6-hM-13kSOWb3UOhwsJuIRaIZe2uQlDUOw/s1600-h/altered+CD-butterflies+3-close+dangle+beads+pic_edited-1.jpg"></a></atomicelement><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsST4_5xEXZbsmCRCf1BxdcK79LlIcUogojU9dkwRGwbK_4BhqVLexlpaShaekrvKgKozVpbwJACFwEYIGxpaNJcu0wiA9AFygTLqOaVV4VU0wYlArnk4Oc7fyuKGmNT446rRFXGXag/s1600-h/altered+CD-yellow+rose+of+texas-full+pic_edited-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322101868936236562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilsST4_5xEXZbsmCRCf1BxdcK79LlIcUogojU9dkwRGwbK_4BhqVLexlpaShaekrvKgKozVpbwJACFwEYIGxpaNJcu0wiA9AFygTLqOaVV4VU0wYlArnk4Oc7fyuKGmNT446rRFXGXag/s320/altered+CD-yellow+rose+of+texas-full+pic_edited-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>hi to everyone. I am trying, as always to catch up. We got the kids all moved into their new town house. then of course we had to get our house back into order. I have my craft room back and it took me days to reorganize it. took forever to arrange it the way I wanted it. after years of things being moved around, I have now tried to put the things I use the most closest to my work space. it may not be pretty , but it is mine. lol. I have been going to the gym with the hubby as much as possible. we finally decided we needed to get it shape, especially now that we live <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWFN2msELHAAHP02TeLHNBUu0olSHgg1B-iYtESDxlqfute08VzCmhfFtV_6-huhIuqidv98kNH66LUDC9PYmwKZ0t_TKA4D4XIY8sYGe5Fhyphenhyphen4okwbp7WOmzrph_gINEweIE2hWVGPA/s1600-h/altered+CD-butterflies+3-full+pic_edited-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322102459094827538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 128px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisWFN2msELHAAHP02TeLHNBUu0olSHgg1B-iYtESDxlqfute08VzCmhfFtV_6-huhIuqidv98kNH66LUDC9PYmwKZ0t_TKA4D4XIY8sYGe5Fhyphenhyphen4okwbp7WOmzrph_gINEweIE2hWVGPA/s320/altered+CD-butterflies+3-full+pic_edited-1.jpg" border="0" /></a>somewhere that there is a gym available. we had to find one with a heated pool, since my neck and shoulder surgeries have made it impossible to due much else, unless I want a migraine anyway. when the weather is cooler, the pool actually starts to get the look of the black lagoon, with all of the steam floating up. but I got external speakers for my ipod and turn it up as much as possible, to kinda take away from the creepiness of the steam. it is kinda peaceful in many ways, whenever I am the only one in the pool, which happens alot since we tend to go later than most people. they kids joined also, but they tend to do work outs on the excercise equiptment with bill. anyway, it has been a good thing and since the first of the year, we also made a commitment to eat better as well. it was tough while the kids were here, but now that it is just bill and I, we can control everything that comes in and what types of food too. </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>I have also been a tad busy finishing a few art projects as well. been working on altered art CD's, and several chunky pages. I love working with them both, mostly because it is a new size and bigger than artist trading cards. I think collage and altered art styles are my favorite to do, so I loved making them. I will post a few just to give you an idea of what they are and how they turned out. sandy<embed style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 320px" name="flashticker" align="middle" src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com"></embed> </div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="WIDTH: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: left"><atomicelement id="ms__id4222"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"></a><highlighttext id="ms__id4223"> </highlighttext><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"></a><highlighttext id="ms__id4224"> </highlighttext></atomicelement><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-88753805291551770822009-03-03T14:09:00.000-08:002009-03-03T14:32:47.201-08:00Update on getting healthy...............<div><embed src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a><br />Hi to all my friends and family..................<br />As always I think I have a great routine down and I will be organized................but as usual, I seem to be chasing my own tail. I am of course working on some art projects, trying to refuel after the holidays.......or should I say <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">UNFUEL</span>, boy can you over eat with all the goodies. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">lol</span> My whole family made a pact to join a gym after the new year in the hopes that the buddy system would work better than going on your own. So far it is working, I think. There is only three gyms in our city that have heated pools, which is a must with all my joint and bone problems. one gym was a private one, one is the Y and then the one we joined. it is very nice. I have had to get used to being all by myself most of the time, while swimming. Bill and the kids all use the weight machines and such inside the main gym, play basket ball and all kinds of fun stuff. The stuff I used to be able to do...........<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">grrrrrrr</span>. Now I am out in the pool, which is all by itself in an outer building. whenever it is cold, which it is winter............it is literally like the black lagoon. all this steam rises up off the pool and you can not see anything hardly. So of course it spooked the heck out of me the first few times. then I got external speakers for my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">ipod</span> and now I just turn it up as loud as possible and focus on the music. Really it is just noise, because the place is so huge that you can not really hear the words. But my chicken butt feels much better with the background noise. So no we are eating healthy, going to the gym and honoring our new years resolution. Bill is of course dropping huge amounts of weight compared to me............god I hate it the way men seem able to sneeze and drop 10 pounds................why is that? I have swam like a hamster on a wheel and have only lost 20 pounds, while he sweats 5 pounds off every time he goes. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">lol</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ok</span>, I should be grateful huh............I am very proud of him and the kids, it just kinda stinks a little that a man that is still in a cast on his foot can run circles around you in the weight lose area. Tyler , my youngest son, of course is running 3-4 miles and making the trainer tired I think. Megan , his beautiful girlfriend, is just putting up with going, since she is in wonderful shape too. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Kryston</span>, my princess and only daughter, is loosing weight and doing great. She says the trainer is killing her, but still puts up with it. I think she has a crush on him really though. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">lol</span> And me.........I just swim back and forth trying to look like I am accomplishing something. having had two surgeries on my neck and on both shoulders.............well, it kinda makes your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">exercise</span> routine limited. I can't swim over hand, because the shoulders don't rotate any more. I have a hard time with the breast stroke, since the whole neck is fused and putting my head back is not easy and almost impossible. So I have come up with my own style and swim stroke. I kinda tend to list to one side, since one shoulder is stronger than the other, but luckily they have painted huge black lines on the bottom of the pool to keep you in a straight line and in your lane. I am not sure if they did it just for me or not, but it helps! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">lol</span> In all seriousness, I am feeling better and plan to keep plugging. I keep trying to remember what is good in my life and focus on those things. AND IF BILL KEEPS LOOSING MORE THAN ME, I CAN BREAK HIS OTHER FOOT! <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">LOL</span> Love, hugs and best wishes to everyone. I am off to get paint and glitter in my hair. sandy<br /></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-68814994031665255192009-03-03T14:02:00.000-08:002009-03-03T14:02:33.721-08:00Artstanding Stranger: Zetti Art<a href="http://dianeglass.blogspot.com/2009/03/zetti-art.html">Artstanding Stranger: Zetti Art</a><br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-15323126254836322002009-02-15T01:55:00.001-08:002009-02-15T02:55:06.443-08:00Valentine Spirit..............<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yscAfLyfyngmWKVfuIdROC0vSn658fm5wzxKQmHWS8fIaaWF0l6mLNRj8SGkL9YgpDZjD414Ve2HTBlP472faezLCBkkwmkyHA0lp42yokVctnnX8m2OuVZYiw4HYNsxskqecfpFVA/s1600-h/'yellow+flower+babies%27atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 140px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yscAfLyfyngmWKVfuIdROC0vSn658fm5wzxKQmHWS8fIaaWF0l6mLNRj8SGkL9YgpDZjD414Ve2HTBlP472faezLCBkkwmkyHA0lp42yokVctnnX8m2OuVZYiw4HYNsxskqecfpFVA/s320/'yellow+flower+babies%27atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302964141354078354" border="0" /></a>hiya everyone! I am finally up and running again. I have been busy with different swaps and such. I thought I would share the 'valentine's love atc' cards that we did for a swap. it was fun letting loose and doing collage work. It is pretty much my favorite medium. that is why I enjoy doing altered art so much, it really is just doing collage work with multi-mediums, as well as working three dimensional items into it. I love the textures and depth of the collage and altered art. taking one item that is going to be the focus and then building around it. I love vintage photos , and used several for these cards.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQRTcz2snDXk5fKs5gXYan12Dj7rPRxc3U5VeuDFTG6CHioSX14SUT0z2XRl4_pYaitxxv-wp8FNCq2dsrqQZfGbxbcMPn4bKzPu-5XDPyFbU2MXA2Dmyp20Xs3LSZqUCrmO-ELLa5Q/s1600-h/'love+me%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcQRTcz2snDXk5fKs5gXYan12Dj7rPRxc3U5VeuDFTG6CHioSX14SUT0z2XRl4_pYaitxxv-wp8FNCq2dsrqQZfGbxbcMPn4bKzPu-5XDPyFbU2MXA2Dmyp20Xs3LSZqUCrmO-ELLa5Q/s320/'love+me%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302964136047658802" border="0" /></a>After I pick an item that is the 'focal' point, then I decide what I will use as the base. I use different scrap booking printed paper. Plain card stock paper that I have painted or drawn on. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKsYkCqs1TpYq4nY3rBWhito5MqUZVbJsUsbG6B30tmlW_fbnVJdnlVM9WQFsecef-Kpo_l8uM8l6n6P28xi4Cr9KTk-Muhmq5X2O3b_qxKFWrSb-jvIhSuDrmvLXGa_Bz6r8xAMOiQ/s1600-h/'love'+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKsYkCqs1TpYq4nY3rBWhito5MqUZVbJsUsbG6B30tmlW_fbnVJdnlVM9WQFsecef-Kpo_l8uM8l6n6P28xi4Cr9KTk-Muhmq5X2O3b_qxKFWrSb-jvIhSuDrmvLXGa_Bz6r8xAMOiQ/s320/'love'+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963596410156626" border="0" /></a>the card 'love me' I used a pink paper with gold paint splatter on it, as my base. then I used a piece of darker pink tissue that was torn and used it to split the base paper, your eye follows the tissue to the focal item, which is the heart. on the 'love' atc, I used a light colored print paper with a heart shape in the middle. I added texture to the heart and glitter also, this gives the heart depth. I then used a darker pink distress ink to break up the base paper and used it like I did with tissue or contrasting paper on some. I also added glitter around the edges and wrote the word love on one and love me on the other. I like to do a lot of my own writing and also pen work to add definition to the items on the card and also give the card a finished look. I use pigment ink pens with a small tip and then I spray a fixative to set the ink so that it will not smear or smudge when I use the finishing material. You can also use your sewing machine, or hand sew on your cards to make items pop out and also gives it a unique and finished look as well. Using distress ink on the edges and even some of the images, it gives the item a finished look, a vintage look if you use the right color. you can use a Qtip or sponge tipped tool , like the ones made for applying chalks, and lightly color something to make it look rich and give more depth. I used both chalks and distress inks on the items in these cards. if you look at the 'pink flower babies' below, you can see the touch of pink I added to the white flower pedals. it give the flower a richer, more realistic look.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb24hSE2Sa5yo16OAxFYZyHVGGfuGkPS9XK2lc6-JCUK-PLBORS7WYXR4a8WHP_b-LzYhvjXfzzczRAz7sRAztZ1AEs_jMiiIkMNbgCKCzrl2QRVY7oUxBC37eO0baEvLWsRVjAiuOA/s1600-h/'love+fairy%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinb24hSE2Sa5yo16OAxFYZyHVGGfuGkPS9XK2lc6-JCUK-PLBORS7WYXR4a8WHP_b-LzYhvjXfzzczRAz7sRAztZ1AEs_jMiiIkMNbgCKCzrl2QRVY7oUxBC37eO0baEvLWsRVjAiuOA/s320/'love+fairy%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302964133131163922" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKg1pM8bXRm6tBvgIkk54kiRoBx_AWEdh0XJEMJFY1I7LAx9kGX0qT8XcTWfD9jNBvH6QM-t2LcdvdO3XlEZ0zxFCXRHGzS1RD4JmgWX7eEkunW5AFVUlWNjyBnz63O0ShLvWHUYobQ/s1600-h/'pink+flower+babies%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKg1pM8bXRm6tBvgIkk54kiRoBx_AWEdh0XJEMJFY1I7LAx9kGX0qT8XcTWfD9jNBvH6QM-t2LcdvdO3XlEZ0zxFCXRHGzS1RD4JmgWX7eEkunW5AFVUlWNjyBnz63O0ShLvWHUYobQ/s320/'pink+flower+babies%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302964141274057602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDchCTgUlHL8xllmzuiIa0GzndDwRabAvyUKrFkjSdQGyuIUFOMDCBRJ2BbXOkUAVNQjSPkQI2ay7228jPchkpRMo2TzU9CZmntJvhxEW7In7hN0X9IVfcXVceKXRK0g2Fq4PTqb3i_Q/s1600-h/'sweet+valentine%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDchCTgUlHL8xllmzuiIa0GzndDwRabAvyUKrFkjSdQGyuIUFOMDCBRJ2BbXOkUAVNQjSPkQI2ay7228jPchkpRMo2TzU9CZmntJvhxEW7In7hN0X9IVfcXVceKXRK0g2Fq4PTqb3i_Q/s320/'sweet+valentine%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302964138050571794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglKsYkCqs1TpYq4nY3rBWhito5MqUZVbJsUsbG6B30tmlW_fbnVJdnlVM9WQFsecef-Kpo_l8uM8l6n6P28xi4Cr9KTk-Muhmq5X2O3b_qxKFWrSb-jvIhSuDrmvLXGa_Bz6r8xAMOiQ/s1600-h/'love'+atc_edited-1.jpg"><br /><br /></a><br /><br /><br />I always use a finishing spray, or a collage finish medium. it gives the atc's a warm feel and also sets any glitter paint, or other mediums you use. some of the time I will take a dimensional medium that drys clear and makes whatever you use it on stand out. make sure the other mediums are totally dry before you put the dimensional liquid on, or it may dry with a cloudy look. trust me, I have had it happen and it really urks me when I have almost finished an item and then ruin it with the liquid. I would use the dimensional liquid or 'liquid glass' only on the items that you want to stand out, not the whole card. I used it on the wings and some of the hearts. you can not see this or most of the glitter as well. but when you see the cards or items for real, they have such depth and warmth when you use these mediums.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kE95_Znqc5DbEhqEssEmuG7kQ7gYShsQVJVO5lrS45AaWYoRRt2_eQZM-6iLd8PV4xp1KrUnKvodwfcQetD3D2QwgVS-94GEWGJalKy258ZkmEyaqXQIf842Mjko_06wAZ9rR0_akQ/s1600-h/'flower+woman%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 281px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5kE95_Znqc5DbEhqEssEmuG7kQ7gYShsQVJVO5lrS45AaWYoRRt2_eQZM-6iLd8PV4xp1KrUnKvodwfcQetD3D2QwgVS-94GEWGJalKy258ZkmEyaqXQIf842Mjko_06wAZ9rR0_akQ/s320/'flower+woman%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963592279538754" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlMaUHCZn27BR8dbRgZcvfzLtzE9TjYz1PTl4uIPm3fhsAekyBSYDjUdXBD6472Se68RwMec5OWk3RHJLuO5uwP0_3zZAQnlLqWkA8fPdbb1VBUz1wTmCaPqhb59pEt1Rlr3EvwjWbw/s1600-h/'cupid's+gift%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlMaUHCZn27BR8dbRgZcvfzLtzE9TjYz1PTl4uIPm3fhsAekyBSYDjUdXBD6472Se68RwMec5OWk3RHJLuO5uwP0_3zZAQnlLqWkA8fPdbb1VBUz1wTmCaPqhb59pEt1Rlr3EvwjWbw/s320/'cupid's+gift%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963591288236066" border="0" /></a>The finishing touch on these cards , as well as all of my work is my signature. people have asked me how I write so little for my signatures, you just need a very small tip sized pigment ink pen. no matter what you make, you should find a place to sign it. when you put your heart and soul into an art piece , remember that the art you just made is going to be somewhere in this world longer than you. I had an art teacher tell me one time, "you sign it, even if you may think you are not a 'real' artist, all art is worthy of your signature, no matter how small" I believe just like he did, that even if you do not think you are a famous artist, or how insignificant you think the piece is, it is a masterpiece and should tell the world forever it's creator.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bQKwzu0bzwGOBXAtVFUSDTesgu-G61UsEyhBtXLtjqnml-EHkD9DdUVJhr2a8MfyYoHvkWbs5Pb382WwEDiDCulspp5VHe-btH8n6D_-dX-uJfwQ2nEC2XTBMR4dqlKRGThOebqj1g/s1600-h/''cupids+cure%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2bQKwzu0bzwGOBXAtVFUSDTesgu-G61UsEyhBtXLtjqnml-EHkD9DdUVJhr2a8MfyYoHvkWbs5Pb382WwEDiDCulspp5VHe-btH8n6D_-dX-uJfwQ2nEC2XTBMR4dqlKRGThOebqj1g/s320/''cupids+cure%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963591950847554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoy5bIv2CPvgX2GH4qULn8eG-dUc1qVsl8tcjN7-G7h9TadQXNHEtrt7XHBNwiSO17rWM0XEcBjRa5LPSuMT-BODQ_EZgIxM2XAB5tApsMBRu0Ls2VYvqEiNH-3mV2mvDBoIX7jTOnA/s1600-h/'cupid+twins%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMoy5bIv2CPvgX2GH4qULn8eG-dUc1qVsl8tcjN7-G7h9TadQXNHEtrt7XHBNwiSO17rWM0XEcBjRa5LPSuMT-BODQ_EZgIxM2XAB5tApsMBRu0Ls2VYvqEiNH-3mV2mvDBoIX7jTOnA/s320/'cupid+twins%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963588672073586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvcI8TPM5rGTOmRyUL4wZK3jn6IiWxtRprTLk_R7GQQQo9HS7RgorXz8BYEVr00U5FUooIrxnN2NN9Z-sZcNKN6BiyNVpqenI0NKGKK8Fpsrb9xfodVELS5_mzXkRSXmByu3PVgMvuQ/s1600-h/'colorful+valentine%27+atc_edited-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 285px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHvcI8TPM5rGTOmRyUL4wZK3jn6IiWxtRprTLk_R7GQQQo9HS7RgorXz8BYEVr00U5FUooIrxnN2NN9Z-sZcNKN6BiyNVpqenI0NKGKK8Fpsrb9xfodVELS5_mzXkRSXmByu3PVgMvuQ/s320/'colorful+valentine%27+atc_edited-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5302963143248766770" border="0" /></a><div><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;">I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day. I was lucky enough to spend it with my kids and husband. we decided this year that we are getting healthy, so no candy. we got each other valentine goodies that are useful. I got the kids a set of PJ's , the kind that everyone wears even out side. they got me a little set of IPOD speakers, so that while I am swimming laps at the gym I can listen to my tons of songs. <br />The whole family joined the gym for a year, so we can't flake out. we go together , to make it easier to work out. Because of my fused neck , shoulder surgeries and back problems...........I don't have a lot of options. So we picked a gym with an indoor heated pool and a huge hot tub. I swim lots of laps then go to heaven in the hot tub. swimming has really loosened up my injuries and given me more motion than I have had since the operations. and the added bonus is I am loosing weight too. everyone in the family is loosing weight and feeling good. Bill is healing wonderfully from his ankle and foot surgery in October. he is loving the work outs and feeling better than he has in years. Kryston and Megan are slimming down and getting in shape. Tyler is mega man and loving all of the work out equipment. he comes out and swims a few laps with me , or just checks to make sure I am OK. the pool is kinda by itself and can be a little dark at night when we go, so he just checks to make sure I am OK. it is so sweet of him. he is trying to make sure he is in shape for the CHP academy. you can not apply to the academy until you are 21 or going to be 21 by the time you graduate. so he still has a year and a half to go. <br />I am glad that I could get a tad of info and catch up on the blog. hope you all drop by again. I am going to try and write more often.............honest..............I swear............cross my heart.............you get the point. lol<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-28735404036543197532009-01-20T12:46:00.000-08:002009-01-20T13:57:38.237-08:00I am alive.............honest!<div><embed src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><span style="text-decoration: underline;">hi everyone!<br /><br />I kinda have fallen off of the planet since thanksgiving. seems like I have been on full tilt since then and hardly any time to do anything other than Christmas gifts. the holidays were wonderful. all four kids were home for Christmas. it is fun watching the kids grow from little and Christmas being all about Santa and stuff, to now wanting to make sure they get the perfect gift for their loved ones. my youngest son and I had a conversation about Christmas morning, and when I told him how I have always enjoyed watching them open their gifts and the fun of it, than I have opening my own............he says ' you know mom, I am the same way now, I love to see every one's faces and reactions to their gifts . he took such care in making sure he found the 'perfect' gift for all of his siblings, his dad and I and of course his girlfriend too. he drug my behind around on numerous shopping exertions, which those that know me well, know I hate. shopping has never been my thing. I make an exact list of what I want to get for everyone, keep notes long before Christmas and then just try and swoop in and get my gifts and get out before I am trampled in the shopping craze. this year that was impossible. each on of the kids wanted to make the most fun of shopping trips, making sure their siblings knew that this trip to the mall must be for them, because they were not invited. everyone wanted to coordinate the gift shopping like it was an elite FBI tactical outing. we had to covertly shop for everyone together and make the most of each trip and leave inconclusive evidence and hints to confuse the person we were shopping for at that moment. I am sure you realize I am of course exaggerating immensely and enjoying it greatly! there really is a huge core of truth though, and I really did enjoy watching my grown children and their fun for the holidays. <br /> many have been wondering how bill is doing with his last ankle surgery, it is wonderful to say that this one has been soooooo much easier than the last. before, he never got past the constant pain stage and never really could walk on his foot, this time he is healing so well that we have to remind him not to be walking without the crutches yet. of course with his new found wonderful health and lack of pain, is a desire to be 'doing'......so the boys tried to clear a spot in the garage for him to 'tinker' until he can do his beautiful wood work and metal work again. his friend rob, our neighbor , visits him often and they 'tinker' together . the kids bought him a weather station for Christmas. this is a curiosity and something he has had an interest in for years. his dad was very into it as well. bill being my bill, can not just have a weather station, it has to be an all informative one and then it can't just be mounted on the house...............nope, he has the kids and rob help him make an extremely tall stand to mount it on. when I say tall, I mean see it from the next town tall. then he didn't like the way the indoor station layed flat, so he had to make a stand that was nice looking enough to be furniture, but mobile so he can carry it to what ever room he is in. then this is all great , but now for the birthday, we needed to fulfill his vision and get the books and magazines to read. no not read, to educate him well enough to be the next weather person on the local news station. and the final and latest thing was the small, but wonderful weather station that now is mounted on the car interior. we must have something to stay updated while we are driving. I figure this way, he is now focused on a new hobby that is wholesome at least, and me and the kids have something new to tease him about. bill always takes his hobbies and interests to the highest level and at least as he has aged he can now laugh along with the kids as they tease him for being just a tad 'obsessive compulsive'. <br /> OK, I have poked fun at bill, so now we will move on.......this last weekend Tyler and Megan flew up to Oregon to visit her family for her birthday and for Tyler to meet them. I must admit, even though he is all grown up, I still had some heart flutters........I realized that this was the first trip that he has went on without his family , or without his classmates/team members. he had a blast, likes her family. I only called to sing happy birthday to Megan, I worked hard at not 'checking up on them'. he did call and check in with his dad or myself though , to update us now and then. bill and I drove to Sacramento the day before their flight was due in. we wanted to celebrate bill's birthday and enjoy some 'us' time, now that he is feeling better. of course I was 'lucky' enough to wake up with a migraine the day we were leaving. I managed to keep it to a dull roar that day and we enjoyed a wonderful seafood dinner out . then we watched a couple of movies together. the next day, I awoke with out any migraine, thank god. we had all day and until evening to kill time and have fun before the kids arrived. we went to the capitol building and since it was a holiday, we were able to take lots of wonderful pictures. there was not many people or cars like usual. we found the fallen law enforcement memorial, and took pictures of it and the names of those bill knew from work. then I took the opportunity to take pictures of the gorgeous mason work, statues and stone designs. although I will never be the wonderful photog bill is I am sure, I have been trying to fly with it a little on each trip or vacation we take. I have a fascination with design and beautiful stone work. we then took a drive around the streets of Sacramento so I could add to my ever growing collection of pictures of street signs. I have been taking them for several years now and have had in mind a collage that works them all together. we also took a trip into old town, I wanted to get a photo taken in the 'gangster/flapper' style. we had one taken when we got engaged, then over the years have taken several with the kids as well. it was a blast to set our engagement photo next to the new one. kryston my daughter decided to inform me that she couldn't believe 'how young' we looked in our first photo. I laughed and said we were, in fact I was younger than she is now............gees time flies. after our trip into old town, I stopped and asked directions to the nearest cemetery. of course I wanted to take pictures of the stone work headstones and angels. bill is not really into my 'passion' of this, so he happily watched from the car, following me so I didn't have to walk too far. he has his 'obsessions' and of course I have mine. I love using the photos of stonework in my collage and altered art. it is almost as bad as my love of old photos. he laughs when I buy antique or old pics from yard sales, thrift shops and such...........but all I can see is 'art' and the prospects of projects in their faces. I have even framed and hung some of them. I always laugh at the looks I get when people ask if they are relatives and I say no.........just a face I found. <br /> kryston is going to be venturing into a new job sort of. the company that she works for has had a hard time with having a governing corp. over them. they have decided to branch out on their own and start their own company. a little scary , but she is excited. she will still be working with adults that are developmentally challenged, doing the same things just with a new company. she is excited that they are giving her a raise and are going to train her to do 'the bosses' job, so they can branch out further. she really is glad they have stuck with it even though there has been some stress along the way. her and her boss have become great friends, and she likes her co workers. when we had a BBQ for her birthday last April, they all came over to the house. many of her 'clients' have met bill and I and know our names. when the new company is up and running, I am going to do some art classes with her clients. I have helped out when they have done scrap booking and such, but I look forward to doing some other art forms with them. <br /> Travis came home for Christmas and new years. he now lives in San Jose and works for a construction company. he is dating and having fun. although it was tough having him move, after moving close by, he is still close enough to visit. after he graduated high school, he went to San diego and could only come home once a year........so we were so happy to have him move back up to redding when kryston and tyler did. but alas , it was too small for him, he has become a big city person now. and now he has that with the bonus of being closer. <br /> tony came home from the army and station in Georgia for the holiday. he drops into our lives once in a while and then poof , he is gone just like he came. he is talking about 're-upping' with the army. we are a little surprised, but also not...... you never know what tony is going to do, until it is old news. lol<br /> I think I have gotten everyone caught up on our world, or at least parts of it. I wish I could upload some of my pics for you, but my computer is trying to be a royal pain. I can get on the Internet on krystons computer, but not mine. she does not have the scanner and printer hooked up to hers...........so until I get up and running, I will not be able to upload pictures or my art work. I hope to call and get someone to help me through the steps in the next day or so. times like this that having Travis here is a help, he is the puter guru in the family. I am lucky to understand the basics and bill's version of 'fixing' a glitch is to pound on it. so I will wait til I have help that will help rather than hinder. hugs and best wishes to everyone! sandy<br /></span></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-72551811017568624642008-11-26T14:26:00.000-08:002008-11-26T15:22:00.233-08:00hi, I have not fallen off of the planet, lets catch up<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Well it has been awhile since I sat down and wrote a few words. some of you probably think I have fallen off of the planet. I figure I better try to catch you up a tad on my life. sorry if things are a little mixed up and crazy.......but that is my life as usual. things have been a bit crazy in my world, not that is not usual, but maybe a bit more than what usually is going on. seems like life is a whirlwind and I am in the eye of a storm at times. I think most of you know that my husband Bill had a second surgery on his ankle. a nice 12 hour wait for me and the kids in an uncomfortable waiting room . it went well this time. he had the first surgery a year ago and after months of casts and lots of pain , it was in worse shape than before, so it was a second trip. so far this one seems to be sooooo much easier on him and he seems to be handling it all so much better. maybe to much better at times, the kids and I have to reel him in sometimes, because he feels so much better and pain free, that he wants to be doing things. I have had to adjust to finally an empty nest and a huge room for my art and a quiet house that I can do art until the wee hours if I feel like it. make many messes in the late hours when I can not sleep, which is often the case with me. now we have the kids living with us to help out and take some of the financial and physical strains off of us. I am so grateful to have them and amazed that we all can gravitate around each other again and not kill each other. we have had to make adjustments and get used to a full house again, but it has went much smoother than expected. I am enjoying the fun times, playing games and doing things with the kids. you do not realize how much you miss that , until you get the chance to have it back. of course then there is the other side of the coin, my beautiful daughter kryston still likes to leave our bathroom looking like a tornado hit it every morning. Tyler my youngest son, loves to leave shoes and socks in the middle of the front room floor every night. but I guess if I have put up with Bill leaving his clothes six inches in front of the laundry basket on the floor, for 23 years................I can enjoy the quirks of my kids again. in all fairness, bill has but up with me always putting the tea pitcher back in the fridge with only a drop left in it. it is his greatest pet peeve. It has become a game I think after all of these years. <br />OK, enough about my wonderful family, my world of art...............I have had a tad bit of a slump. mostly the changes in my life I think. working around all of the new things and events. I have done some things for some swaps that were a blast. Diane's chunky bling pages......an art deco set of add to the pattern.....right now I am doing some chunky house pages for an amusing muses swap. I think the structure of the swaps makes it easier for me to create right now. my brain is on such an overload that I need to be told what to make and what the parameters are. but I am trying to keep my creative sided brain going......I have started a few altered art projects and have alcohol ink stains on my hands as we speak. kryston has always hated 'my man hands', as she called them over the years. even though we look alike , and sound alike.........those close to us know we could not be more different in many ways. she has always been my beautiful girly girl princess. me just a pony tail tom boy. she has always been my rhinestone, feather, purple and pink sweetie. as a teen she would get so frustrated when I would have my hair up and paint head to toe............'mom can't you fix your hair' and I would reply 'I did it is in a ponytail'............'mom do you have to always have paint and stain on your hands and clothes, you look like a car mechanic and have man hands' . some things never change.......although for almost a year, I finally cut my hair off short for the first time in a very many years. It is in a style she likes, and me too for different reasons. her because it is a 'style' and me because it is not in my face all the time and have to be pulled up while painting etc. I love to still tease her with my 'man hands' though. when she got home from work the other day I held up my very colorful hands and then told her I just finished cooking her dinner. really bill had thrown some pizza in the oven because it was 'football ' night. I don't know if any of you artists out there like me can't seem to work with paint, stain and such without wearing it. it kinda reminds me of when I was in high school and college, playing softball as a catcher..............if my uniform was not dirty, I didn't play hard enough. lol OK I am warped and different, I admit it. I wear my messes like a badge of honer ! lol don' t all of you out there that can not get your fingernails messy.........wish you could. just once, you know.........go wild a little. OK , so then I am a lone wolf that is totally weird, messy art is my thing. I have found that in times of stress, which I have had much of lately, in times of sorrow, in times of emotion...............I can turn to my messes. if i can totally immerse myself in my art, it is a way to let go of the things that hang on. instead of a good cry, or sometimes alongside of a good cry......I pick up my charcoal pencil and just draw. don't plan it, don't use any model or picture...........just draw. and charcoal is the best, because it is messy you know. but I love the boldness of the charcoal, the ability to blend it and move the lines. sometimes a shape surprises me and turns into a drawing that totally surprises me. if I did not have my messes..........who knows, what is your way of totally letting go......do you have anything that can allow you to express the things that are too far down to express in words. the emotions that sometimes we do not even know are there. I think that is why I have always found an art outlet of some kind over the years. I often joke and say it is my sanity, my healing and my therapy. although in reality , that is exactly what it is. my family is my life, heart and soul.............but my art is something that no one can take, alter or change.........unless I chose to share it with them, or give it as a gift. I hope all of you are taking a second to 'de-stress' and have your own time. holidays are so wonderful and a happy time, but they are also stressful and tend to put our brains on overload. try to find a second to have to yourself. I wish the few of you that see this regularly, and any stranger that found my blog on accident.................A VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND HOLIDAY SEASON! hugs and best wishes everyone, sandy<br /></span></span>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-91005341372095369872008-11-12T21:39:00.000-08:002008-11-12T21:39:41.338-08:00Artstanding Stranger: BFF GOLD CARD AWARD<a href="http://dianeglass.blogspot.com/2008/11/bff-gold-card-award_04.html">Artstanding Stranger: BFF GOLD CARD AWARD</a><br /><br />WOWOSA.........I am totally honored and speachless.........ok , I will keep it real, I am never speachless! thankyou girlfriend, you are an amazing artist, and wonderful friend.<br /><br /><div><embed src="http://widget-75.slide.com/widgets/slideticker.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" quality="high" scale="noscale" salign="l" wmode="transparent" flashvars="cy=bb&il=1&channel=2449958197300763765&site=widget-75.slide.com" style="width: 400px; height: 320px;" name="flashticker" align="middle"></embed><div style="width: 400px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=1" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p1/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide1.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=2" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p2/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide2.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.slide.com/pivot?cy=bb&at=fl&id=2449958197300763765&map=F" target="_blank"><img src="http://widget-75.slide.com/p4/2449958197300763765/bb_t054_v000_s0fl_f00/images/xslide42.gif" ismap="ismap" border="0" /></a></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-66873711145304761382008-10-20T15:07:00.000-07:002008-10-23T00:34:59.379-07:00Crazy life as usual..........<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKomGypbwkwjQnV-rD9WkMXzM1ySkO3W720pg-Ae2K_xQJVex5uvMgwP3PAYMAkCox_4YzmMQvFlBe1zYaRI0k2Cd7E-XP-SHnrJ9GXX2bxhWKkTQz9RYTT8Hv3UDm1y_eH2g0zXmVA/s1600-h/flapper+fannie-+signed.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKomGypbwkwjQnV-rD9WkMXzM1ySkO3W720pg-Ae2K_xQJVex5uvMgwP3PAYMAkCox_4YzmMQvFlBe1zYaRI0k2Cd7E-XP-SHnrJ9GXX2bxhWKkTQz9RYTT8Hv3UDm1y_eH2g0zXmVA/s320/flapper+fannie-+signed.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260249557985423650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu-dBeE6eVxRAhAwUi04EBd887hNchmmbp7kLbZixYyioin2jdS3fEZ6wXTu0l79LZwsFcYzA05SOHa60mzd_nxyl70AXkcnY-z28ImqVK1hXoK7l1VzQIAsu1rzy8FUCXdjwu8l8rw/s1600-h/ACEO-+%27Pony+Tail+Polly%27+7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHu-dBeE6eVxRAhAwUi04EBd887hNchmmbp7kLbZixYyioin2jdS3fEZ6wXTu0l79LZwsFcYzA05SOHa60mzd_nxyl70AXkcnY-z28ImqVK1hXoK7l1VzQIAsu1rzy8FUCXdjwu8l8rw/s320/ACEO-+%27Pony+Tail+Polly%27+7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260249148925109986" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259367685618994450" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSuBA8Gewr738pTdInbSa-jobhwOQrguq5fsmKSqie0kw2yv0ImFDlZZetb6rLnmjIc2MUNFgwDcIRT3Nj3vxQtKVDr30wAfiZ6gxaURLM2Q3Z7ZJo6-_cQ2wv1X2CO3XD7J0O2ANZNw/s320/'Mermaid+Queen%27+4x4-1.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrrDCy_Yhyphenhyphen9m9fSbgmd3RfNRiuSF1orOU0Fixi_32TcXQrSgdwHA9NVTLEpJypNTGSRXdfm-3bM0fvj8Smycv3Ej8V6aUmGmtoqObYXGQQcl752P1qvvyUqx1LeQTznoEKqAPc01JZw/s1600-h/ACEO-'Acorn'+7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5259367699763647026" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrrDCy_Yhyphenhyphen9m9fSbgmd3RfNRiuSF1orOU0Fixi_32TcXQrSgdwHA9NVTLEpJypNTGSRXdfm-3bM0fvj8Smycv3Ej8V6aUmGmtoqObYXGQQcl752P1qvvyUqx1LeQTznoEKqAPc01JZw/s320/ACEO-'Acorn'+7.jpg" border="0" /></a>ok, so I fell of the planet for a few days.........maybe a little longer. Seems like I do nothing butchase my own tail. We have been moving the kids in to help out. Bill had his second ankle/foot surgery two weeks ago. He is doing much better with this surgery than the one a year ago. but without offending any guys out there, no offense, but god guys are boobs when they do not feel well. to make it even more fun I had a minor surgery two days after bill's. so thank god for the kids. I have been going stir crazy.............I am now sharing my art room with my daughter, so she can stay here. although I am grateful, it does put a crimp in my style. I like to make great big messes when i am working on a project and that is just not possible. plus I happen to be one of those vampire types that does not sleep well at night and often can be found in my 'art cave' at the wee hours working on something to keep my hands and brain busy. kinda hard to do that now unless I want to buy night vision goggles and give it a try. soooo I have been doing alot of drawing late at night while watching brain draining t.v. one can never understand the term 'brain draining' until you see what is on the boob tube at 3 am. normally I have the music on blasting (hubby is asleep in our room on other side of house) and the lights on and can work on any project and bother no one, but the fish in my little desk fish tank. I even have a doggie bed in my art room too, so my doggie Uno can get her beauty sleep while I get none. so needless to say, I am missing my altered art and the messy stuff I love. oh well, lots of worse things out there. I need to learn to be a creature of the moment, not my normal obsessive compulsive self, that likes things to be my way or the highway...........or my normal routine at least. I always love to draw, but I guess I have a short attention or something, becuase I like to mix things up often and do different projects at the same time. I hauled all of my billions (and that is not an exageration) of pens and markers to the hospital with me for Bill's surgery. since they put the most uncomfortable chairs as possible in the waiting areas, it was interesting to find a comfortable way to draw. because I am not a contortionist, and because I am just barely above the height of a dwarf, I had to finally sit indian style in the chair with a lap desk and my drawing pad. I just could not bring myself to sit on the floor in a hospital. I don't know, but it seems the older I get, the more paranoid I get about things. The kids would just stretch out on the carpeted floor, while I had visions of the little green bug, Mr. Staff infection , jumping up and down on them saying neener neener. I don't remember being that way when I was young and dumb. Just like eating out at a fast food place and now I can't stand it if I don't put out a napkin on the table, and I almost have a brain anurism when one of the kids picks up a french fry they dropped on the table and then eat it. I guess it is sad but true, my kids said I am old as dirt and just a big dork. ok this entry will be short but sweet. ok, it is short............ I will add a couple of the drawings from the hospital.Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-39497977716463320422008-10-02T14:32:00.001-07:002008-10-02T18:33:33.061-07:00Thankyou Grandma!<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZqhuo2_q7T6lcH4InOXHPMlshNHvSMD3Mz0GbeQuUBzGuy_nDAK8NMW7ixtQFDJmPIELPDcC_PAn5nYGaTcz08doxHplt2x95ccjAKRhGVs1ME7W1lwQJ_M1GByij2Ju_fGbLV6bsQ/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252680252722650930" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkZqhuo2_q7T6lcH4InOXHPMlshNHvSMD3Mz0GbeQuUBzGuy_nDAK8NMW7ixtQFDJmPIELPDcC_PAn5nYGaTcz08doxHplt2x95ccjAKRhGVs1ME7W1lwQJ_M1GByij2Ju_fGbLV6bsQ/s400/gma+marie+collage-1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hi to all my friends and family. A couple of blogs ago I mentioned how I used my art and art room to grieve for my grandmother when she passed away, and how it brought back my love of collage. Although my collage work now is much different than the collage I did way back in high school and college, it still is collage and has just evolved. The medium of collage is so fascinating to me, because it is such an easy way to express yourself through art and an art form that anyone can do. You do not have to be a 'master' artist to do the art form of collage. I have taken my love of the 'old style' collage of blending images in paper form together, and then thrown in a few other mediums and styles to make what I now do almost daily in my art work. Those artist friends that know me well can usually see a piece of my work and know it is mine before seeing the signature or the identification of the piece. I have grown to love the somewhat new art style of 'altered art' , and just melded it with my own style and creative touches. To me 'altered art' is really just collage work that is in a three dimensional form. I think the the 'chunky' styles you see a lot of, now in lots of art work, is also just a three dimensional collage work. </div><div>I thought it might be fun to show you the piece of art that started this new love of collage and art therapy for me. I also thought by seeing it and describing some of what I did with it and still do in most of my work, that it might open some new ideas and possibilities for you and your art work. Maybe some of you think that art is not a 'talent' you were blessed with , with this I hope you can see that there are always art talents hidden in all of us. We sometimes need to start with something that is fun and interesting, as well as a lower level of difficulty. Then before you know it, you are making art work that is meaningful, fun and your very own style. I will add a few close up pictures of the collage, so that you can get a feel for the piece and work a little better, as I describe what I did while making it etc. Because of the collage product I used, there is a glossy texture to the piece, which makes the photos difficult. I am also not exactly known to be great at taking pictures, that is my hubbies talent, not mine. But I think you can see enough of it that you will get an idea of what I did.</div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252719756581752018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRVPxrjNNAVnKCovFOPls3fcIRbemge8yuV8A-Ipp-9VuZUcZhCiQwtnCcvBNmDRV5EF4DVrQzYPuuMY0GpgyPj5oYUfjPF568M179lzV7khmhxlAMfLiZoslgODeUSZBusnZM1oKmQ/s320/gma+marie+collage-8.jpg" border="0" /> First you need to decide on what your theme or content will be, no matter what medium you are going to do in artwork, that is the first step. As you already know, with this piece, my theme was my grandmother. I wanted the collage to be about her and her life. She loved her kids and was very proud of her many grandchildren and great grandchildren, so I also wanted to include them in the work. I knew if I tried to have independent photos of everyone in the family, it would end up being a wall mural rather than a poster size piece. That meant I had to go through all of my photos and find those that had her in them and then narrow some of them down to those that were of her with all the kids and grand kids. But I made a point of picking only photos that she was in. Once I had my pictures out and pretty sure those I wanted to use, I scanned them and printed them on non glossy paper. If you do not have a printer or one that doesn't do the quality of picture copies you are happy with, then you can always go to any store that does good quality photo copies. I would make sure that you do some in all different sizes, especially those that have a lot of people or content in them. You need a variety of sizes, and it is easier to fit all of your pictures on a project if you make some of them small. You can use the ones that you like most a little larger, I used some of the pictures of grandma up close and different stages in her life. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiAUM1qSQKX2IPW_EYAU8fgO4HHAbH6EA7aLMkPd-12rZtDftFpyF7RxmlbpU6etvYuEuos-VX6DD11dhD2OMsdb3Zy7xpmHHD7akwnI5TZl3Z8sq-rVQtbjV7o9eJTvLaijtIEMsZw/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252684543672041298" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiAUM1qSQKX2IPW_EYAU8fgO4HHAbH6EA7aLMkPd-12rZtDftFpyF7RxmlbpU6etvYuEuos-VX6DD11dhD2OMsdb3Zy7xpmHHD7akwnI5TZl3Z8sq-rVQtbjV7o9eJTvLaijtIEMsZw/s320/gma+marie+collage-2.jpg" border="0" /></a> As you can see in the picture to the right, I used a photo that is larger with a close up of her and her great grandchild.</div><div> The second step is to decide what you want to use as a base for your collage item. I chose to do mine on a large piece of matting board. You can do this kind of collage work on just about anything though. You can use canvas, wood items, paper items such as boxes made to collage or paint, paper cards that are blank and ready to decorate. You can even do this type of work on metal items, which I love to do. Just make sure you pick an item that is clean and dry. Some glass or metal items you might need to put a base coat of a preparation product. You can ask at any art/crafts type stores and they can tell you what you need to prepare a surface for collage work. </div><div> Once I got the size of matte board I was going to use, what my basic theme (grandma) was picked, my photos were copied...I then needed something that would bring my grandmothers personality out in the piece as well at tie all of the content together. She loved flowers, her family, fanciful things and her religion. She was very proud of her family and was a sentimental person. She liked to sit and tell you stories of her life and things that she was proud of , and she loved to display things around her so she could show them to everyone. I tried to get things for the project that would show her and who she was. Things like roses, fairies , vintage items, and quotes about family and love. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3H-iNJVtpx5OyxVrlf2TJQqnAFDa-YrXZH71DjidN6KwTbho7vMNnpOLTzrsWfibQ_XJJXdiwM4QMtEIevEvkr9vyL50r9ZpBqvNLROGgTU_RwR9ix547Xrqr89xcSWMm40nD5leVA/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252688274782905730" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI3H-iNJVtpx5OyxVrlf2TJQqnAFDa-YrXZH71DjidN6KwTbho7vMNnpOLTzrsWfibQ_XJJXdiwM4QMtEIevEvkr9vyL50r9ZpBqvNLROGgTU_RwR9ix547Xrqr89xcSWMm40nD5leVA/s200/gma+marie+collage-3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZYXcM0thZcKKT_kr-r-sTWGzAUAnRHG9-Bh5f8VgI5kksNVPePU6nDd4WB-2KxYFOVM0NgDp8mLOZaKMGAmi0nK03-xdak30Y9Bp0joODLFVjFXG66QHvpkarC9eFO3aiZzy-7QrFA/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252688831536084658" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZYXcM0thZcKKT_kr-r-sTWGzAUAnRHG9-Bh5f8VgI5kksNVPePU6nDd4WB-2KxYFOVM0NgDp8mLOZaKMGAmi0nK03-xdak30Y9Bp0joODLFVjFXG66QHvpkarC9eFO3aiZzy-7QrFA/s200/gma+marie+collage-4.jpg" border="0" /></a>Both of these pictures show some of the items I used to bring out her love of family and give the piece a flavor of what and who she was in life. You can use quotes you like printed on velum or paper. You can cut out images in clip art books. You can also purchase packages and books full of paper image that are designed for doing collage type projects. I also made copies of some of the cards she had saved from family members to cut out and use, but you are not destroying the original item. Using copies of originals are easier to use, because if you make a mistake, or do not like the way it looks, you can redo it again. That is also why you want to use copies of photos, so you still have the originals to save however you choose. I also suggest that you buy an art work fixative spray and use it on all of your copies, drawings, stamping, or hand writing you did to use in your project. If you do this, there is less chance that you will have any kind of bleeding of ink or color in your projects. It is something I just have gotten into the habit of doing, since I use a lot of copied material and my own drawings, and it is so frustrating when you put the finish on and something bleeds. I like to use Krylon Workable Fixatif spray, but there are other brands out there too. You can use buttons, ribbon, old jewelry pieces that are not valuable, lace and just about anything you think makes a project have a 'feel' or personality to it. I chose to use some inexpensive jewelry pieces I had, like a butterfly and dragonfly pin that I found somewhere. I just removed the pin backs from them. The rhinestones made them stand out so well and were things that she would have loved.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniixI4L4mmjHiuk1OOgmE6byMtd8gsuGF1p0ruEGctN6RWBCY-VRc3Kz_ypS1BETP-X9t6b7mn8LF3v-IHuweLJow31w3zCeNHKOtQpfKiEVj6XxwVbe3t1epQec8RZaxumsjnk5f9g/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252692806738879538" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" height="155" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhniixI4L4mmjHiuk1OOgmE6byMtd8gsuGF1p0ruEGctN6RWBCY-VRc3Kz_ypS1BETP-X9t6b7mn8LF3v-IHuweLJow31w3zCeNHKOtQpfKiEVj6XxwVbe3t1epQec8RZaxumsjnk5f9g/s200/gma+marie+collage-7.jpg" width="200" border="0" /></a> I also found some old skeleton keys that would give a vintage feel. The copies of the cherubs and fairies were something she would have smiled at as well. There is no limits to what you can use to capture the personality of someone, or the feel that you are looking for. </div><div> Now that you have a bunch of images, photos,quotes and other ephemera and goodies set aside, you can start playing around with how you want it all to lay out. I like to take scrap booking paper, wrapping paper, fabric, lace, copies of sheet music or something like that to cover the total base of my item. With this project I used a paper that looked like a crackled old painted item. I do this so that if there is a gap between the items, there is still something with the theme or feel peeking through. You might want to stay away from real busy prints because it can make a project look too cluttered. Even though collage is kind of cluttering things together, you do not want to make it so busy that it is not pleasant to look at. Once the project is finished you want it to be interesting and draw a person into it. When looking at it, the eye should flow over the piece and have a look and feel of continuity. With this piece, many friends and family commented that they loved to look at it, because they can look again and again and still find things they did not see before, and that is the effect I love to have. I want to make something interesting and fun to look at, and also make it pleasing to look at over and over, but I don't want it to be so over done that the theme is swallowed up. </div><div> You can make the items in your project blend together nicely by using an embossing powder to the edges of some of the photos and items. You can also emboss stamped images, or write with an embossing pen and then use the embossing powder over it. I used a gold embossing powder over stamped images, writing and just to outline some of the photos. If you do not have the embossing ink and powders to do this with, you can find them in most craft/art sections. You just follow the instructions with the products for stamping and embossing. After I emboss I then use a paintable glitter on the edges of some photos, on the flowers and the wings of the fairies and cherubs. Be sure to let the glitter dry totally before you put a finish over it, so that the glue in the brushable glitter does not look milky when it dries. It will be clear and all you will see is glitter that enhances the area if you let it dry then use a finish.</div><div> Use a collage product to adhere what ever you choose as a base cover, such as Modge Podge or decoupage finish. My favorite is Royal Coat Decoupage Finish. I usually use clear, but sometimes, as I did<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeMZ8ZbMMZpXZM6eh-qbxN87m7wszIaH3Rmvxf8fbRv8cg9o5M4ZYNXQ_7t9G8BIzm8Io74VGwNtSHI_zwcLmArNvozo5VnieveIQPeFzMGcWv8LC7DYLXmvdvDNpjSoZyPNLyM-e5A/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711347589831074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXeMZ8ZbMMZpXZM6eh-qbxN87m7wszIaH3Rmvxf8fbRv8cg9o5M4ZYNXQ_7t9G8BIzm8Io74VGwNtSHI_zwcLmArNvozo5VnieveIQPeFzMGcWv8LC7DYLXmvdvDNpjSoZyPNLyM-e5A/s320/gma+marie+collage-5.jpg" border="0" /></a> with this project, I use the finish that is sepia colored to give more of a vintage look. It also helps blend all of the different colors of the photos together. If you can't find a colored version, you can add a tiny bit of water based paint to tint it yourself. You can play around with a satin finish and a gloss finish on a small piece and let it dry totally to see which you like better. </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgJ-TrtqJmsR1_gYrAvJ9qz3Z2wK3VIWF1fyynGCahEkxviN0MpC4HtQ5jMdtaNrxT_4vD0z6ikAeODWuR4RDfQOEfi9A-k9PTK-82V8lFvlkCk3_gm4qRJyrBsRZjjWuILaEKnZGFA/s1600-h/gma+marie+collage-6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252711784576898466" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgJ-TrtqJmsR1_gYrAvJ9qz3Z2wK3VIWF1fyynGCahEkxviN0MpC4HtQ5jMdtaNrxT_4vD0z6ikAeODWuR4RDfQOEfi9A-k9PTK-82V8lFvlkCk3_gm4qRJyrBsRZjjWuILaEKnZGFA/s320/gma+marie+collage-6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br />After you have gotten the basic lay out with the photos, you can start using the decoupage glue/finish to the base. If you are afraid you will not like the placement and may want to rearrange the photos, you can do what I often do and use a non permanent sticky product to place your items that are going to lay flat on the base(you can move them around again and again until you are happy with placement). Once you have them where you want them you can then use the decoupage finish/glue over them. You might want to know that if you use velum, or a velum with a quote on it , that velum is famous for getting 'wrinkly' after you use a decoupage finish over it. I like the look, because it gives it more character and vintage feel, but some don't, so I would do a trial with a small piece of velum separately to see if you like it, before using it on your project. After that coat dries you can then use dimensional sticky tape, or sticky dimensional sheets with different sizes to apply other photos and items. The foam sticky pieces apply to the back of the item you are placing and attach it to your project. I used it to make some of the photos and flowers etc. stand out and make the project have so much more depth. I then use a good craft glue to attach the heavy pieces, such as jewelry,the metal letters that spell her name, buttons and also ribbon or trims like the tassel trim I used. After the glue totally dries and you have the 'standing out' objects all where they are to stay, use another coat of the decoupage glue/finish over the total project again. It will make your project much more durable and able to even touch. You can not tell by the photos, but the tassel trim I used is actually permanently placed and hard. It gives it a finish that holds permanently, but does not take away from the look. You have to reach out and touch the tassels to feel that they are hard and permanent. They look like they are still dangling free, but are very intact and solid.</div><div> I like to take a pigment ink pen, after the project is totally dry , and then write my own words, or outline many of the objects. This gives a flow to everything and makes things stand out and gives the project a finished look. Be sure and use the workable fixative spray if you do use the pen, so that it will not smear and will be permanent. Once the project is totally dry you can decide to frame it under glass, or you can do like I did and just add a matte to frame it. I stamped and embossed images on the double matte and then added the paintable glitter to the inside matte. Once all of this was totally dry, I used the finish over it as well to make it more durable. You can actually wipe the project off to keep it clean, and it will withstand it. It is the same way if you do this type of 'collage' on a box or something else. It is much more durable than you would ever think.</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252724320371685442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmrO1DCaKOMJLMmMp9qbVOWR6v3DhrCBY9jKo1kXqCPdf6cxoFpZoE3cNaFv-neQ7EroKzL-jIe6VMhyFtCQ2lxo6WvRaR9ZzDGDMXMvOc86yrOxPZsncmB7-O0Ed1DIFiNCr1AVwdw/s320/gma+marie+collage-4.jpg" border="0" /></div></div>This project was the beginning of many, many more since then. I have learned and grown a lot with each and every one of the things I made after it. But I also look at this daily and each time I do..............it makes me smile. I am happy that it brings her to mind each and every time too. She would be thrilled and excited to know that I did something like this to honor her and to make sure that she is always remembered by those who visit and see it too. I am sure if I make myself look real, real close there would be some things that I might do differently and I am sure it would look better if I made it today, but I would not change it if given the chance. I like that it not only makes me remember my wonderful grandmother, it also reminds me of my growth in my artwork.<br /><div></div> Friends in art, sandy<br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-85567453975016538802008-09-25T15:33:00.000-07:002008-09-25T16:23:14.362-07:00The Person Who Can Laugh..................<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">OK</span>, my last blog was kinda serious, and I try not to ever be serious...........so let's start with a quote .......................'The person who can make others laugh is blessed'.<br />I love that quote. the next one that is a favorite.....'Admit your errors before someone else <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">exaggerates</span> them' <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">lol</span> So I am sitting in front of my computer, which is located not in my art room, but my hubby's play room (kinda like my art room but a man's version) he has all his baseball collection, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">WW ll</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">memorabilia</span> and such and his own t.v. ...........oh yeah and his fish tank, big fish tank nut too, has three and would have more if I didn't threaten to move out if he does <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">lol</span>. I have two in my art room too, so we have enough fish in our family. My tanks are smaller by a long shot than his. I have a 10 gallon and a 2 gallon. the small one sits right next to my work desk and table and has a beautiful blue fighting fish called Blue Boy.....real original huh. My 10 gallon is full of guppies and mollies with <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">beautiful</span> colors. I decorated the tanks the total opposite of my hubbies, with white gravel and all kinds of beautiful colored rocks and marbles, and all of the plants are anything but natural looking. I love bright colors, so the plants and a castle are all pink, purple , blue, aqua <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">etc</span>. Drives my hubby nuts, because his are all 'natural'........lava and brown gravel, green plants only etc. how funny.............I always said we are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ying</span> and yang.......we fit well still, after 23 years of marriage and are almost totally opposite. He is watching his favorite oldie shows right this moment. He tapes every past episode of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">gun smoke</span>,mash and the one with the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">ponderosa</span> ranch...............not sure how anyone can watch things over and over ...........so I have my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">ipod</span> earplugs in as usual and listening to my music, as I type. He puts up with my outbursts of awful singing now and then. you know how you can't sing a lick, just flat when you have earphones in.......sounds like a good excuse to me. My children often walk in the house and catch me singing and dancing to songs, while my back is turned and I can't hear or see them. They say I am a total dork (very lovingly of course) and one of their friends says that they think of me every time the song '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">dontcha</span> wish your girlfriend was hot like me' because they walked in and caught me singing out loud and dancing to it. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">lol</span> good thing my kids are tough and don't <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">embarrass</span> easily. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">sooooooooo</span> back to writing about my art, now that I have set the stage and the mood. those of you that know me are laughing I am sure, at the thought of my well rounded butt bouncing around to my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">ipod</span> music. when I am not on the computer, I plug my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">ipod</span> into the stereo in my art room. I love to listen to music while I create. I have spent the last few days cleaning my room and rearranging a few things, making more room for the 'stuff' I have still not unpacked since our move a year ago, sad huh. even though I hated the cleaning.........<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">A LOT</span> ( I would much rather make an art mess, then clean one up)......I kinda had fun, like your birthday.......found some treasures that I forgot I had. Bill changed the drawer handles on a cupboard and drawer and then threw the old ones out..............bad boy.......bad! I was wanting them for my altered art, of course he realized his mistake, never ever,ever through stuff away that I might be able to use one way or another someday in a project. That is why I still have boxes to unpack,because I can not throw things away! I can't help it though it is just me............you never know when some little piece of metal or wood might be the finishing item in a masterpiece. I know I can not be the only freak out there that is that way. Someone else must drive their family nuts by making them save everything before they throw it out, so you can see if it is possible art. I have my kids trained to save anything that have a vintage, old type look, or if it is miniature at all. I even hit my son's coin and paper money collection up, figured I could copy some of the paper money from other countries, or countries that no longer exist ( he has a pretty extensive collection that started as a very small kid) , and use them in some of my collages. Both my hubby and son proceeded to tell me that I would be arrested for <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">counterfeiting</span>. It never entered my mind that I would be copying money,may be breaking a law........it was just possible art to me! One of my kids said I would use chewed gum as an art project, if I thought it would work. I hate to say it, but it is probably true, I would use gloves though. Come on admit it, some of you would do it too! Go digging around in your garage, or attic and you never know what you might find that is a treasure. Or if you are like me and hate housework, try looking under the couch, in the back of your closet, on to of the frig, etc. I am too short to see the top of the frig , why should I have to clean it. If you can't see it, shouldn't have to clean it...........that is my new motto. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">lol</span> And I am real short, so there are <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">a lot</span> of spots that I can not see.................I saw another funny quote that I plastered on my wall in my art wall with all the others I find and that make me laugh and smile every day when I see them. It says 'when there is an endless, insurmountable amount of housework, you just move!' I tell my hubby, who's <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">wood shop</span> is arranged and clean enough to eat off the work bench and has a spot for each tool, that my room is messily organized, but I am at least organized! I know where things are, even if no one else can tell...........<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">lol</span> One must be able to laugh at everything, even themselves...........and that is very easy for me to do. hope everyone takes a second to laugh today.............friends in art, sandyArtsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-12808022715128217242008-09-21T22:26:00.000-07:002008-09-21T23:22:24.465-07:00Art........Hurt or Help?<span style="font-size:85%;">I often hear people say that their artwork is their salvation, their getaway and even their sanity. I can honestly say that I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">probably</span> fit each one of them and then some. Those that know me well know that I used to work on an ambulance......many, many <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">OK</span>.....way to many years ago. I was hurt while on the job and then was diagnosed with a soft tissue injury that I attempted to work through and continue working part time jobs for three years following that. After much pain and severe migraines that seemed to continue to get worse rather than better, it was found that I had severe bone damage and breakage in my neck, which was not what they thought I had injured......unfortunately I was diagnosed originally with just a lower back injury. Needless to say this was a very difficult time in my life and over the years I really struggled with the fact that I could not return to work and was put on <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">permanent</span> disability. I have had two neck surgeries and surgeries on both shoulders as well now. I was always a very active, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">independent</span> and go,go go type person. So being told what I could and couldn't do was not easy for me, but even worse was the fact that my body betrayed me and I could not do <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">a lot</span> of the art forms that I had always able to do over the years. I could no longer sew, quilt by hand, wood working and even lots of painting forms are hard on me. But me being the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">rebellious</span> type, I would move to another art form or other trying to at least hang on to the one thing left that was 'MINE' . Now any of you in my boat understand the mine thing, it is very similar I am sure to someone who is taken from the home, family and friends they know, to be <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">whisked</span> off to another country that does not speak their language and they are left to their own means basically. There are certain things that we hold to dearly when our life is turned upside down. Even when we have fabulous spouses,like me. Even when we have wonderful children, like me. Even when things are somewhat normal in their lives.......and yes like me, sorta anyway, we have our 'water wings', our training wheels etc. Mine has always been my art throughout my life. If I am having a bad day, I go into my art room and work on a project. If I am hurting to bad to work on my art, I may just go into the room and play my favorite music, while I admire my collection of other artist's mini masterpieces in my ever growing collection of Artist Trading Cards and such. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">We often do not realize how much we rely on our comfort habits to help us through tough times. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">whammied</span> with the loss of both in-laws, both grandmothers and my mother, as well as several family friends in a much too short span of time lately. I found myself shutting the art room door and trying to find a way to deal with the lose of my grandma and between many tears and just sitting still moments, I found myself resorting to one of my favorite <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">high school</span> art forms.....collage. I had done a tiny bit of scrap booking and had seen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">a lot</span> of the new craze in 'altered art' in all the magazines.......so I combined my love of traditional collage, with a form of altered art to make a very large tribute to my grandmother. I used vintage buttons,ribbon,sewing items that were hers, old lace, tassels and combined everything in a very 3 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">dimensional</span> art piece that was all a melting of pictures of her over the years. every picture had her in it, her wedding, with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even a few great greats. some of the pictures were very small, some very large, but it took me many, many hours to do. I had no idea til I was done how many days I had went into that room and worked on the project. I used lots of roses and glitter which she loved and antiqued everything to give it a warm and lovingly 'grandma' feel to it. Grieving is something that some might think is easy, but it is not. I am a pretty outspoken person, but grief is something that I found hard to deal with. I did not want lots of people around, or lots of condolences.........although they are always appreciated, I just wanted to 'FEEL' my grandma. When I lost my mother and other grandmother less than a year later, I had the same hard time. But this time I knew what I not only needed to do, but what I wanted to do. I made art that when I look at it, all I see is the spirit of the person I loved and lost. I wanted something that when I look upon it everyday.........I will smile, even if I still shed a tear or two also, I can feel them there in that item. Some might think I am weird or tilted a tad, but I think it is important to have things around us that remind us daily of the loved ones we lost. Even if it is not a huge art piece, it can be something as simple as what I did with a friend that passed. I used one of her <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">refrigerator</span> magnets on my frig. and now every day I see that and think of her. She was a wonderful person and is still a blessing in my life when I look at item, little as it is.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Our worlds are always going to be stressful, sad and hurtful at one time or another, and there really is no better way to deal with it than doing a little art. Those that knit, crochet,sing,compose music, play musical <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">instruments</span>, draw, paint, do photography,write poems,write stories, landscaping,I could go on and on..........really just ask my kids, if you have something that is making your world tilt a little, try doing those things that you love to do. If you used to have any of the art forms as a hobby and think you do not have the time, the money, the energy <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">etc</span>. to get back into it....................I say <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">poooooppppyyy</span>! There are so many groups on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Internet</span> that you can hook up with, groups in your towns and cities. Many organizations and big craft stores hold FREE arts and crafts classes. You can also find many, many used or barely used art supplies for almost nothing on sites like ' C<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">raig's</span> List','<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">eBay</span>' and 'E<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">tsy</span>'. I am sure there are more. I often participate in swap on the <a href="http://www.atcsforall.com/">www.atcsforall.com</a> site and many times I have seen group swaps for art supplies and even people giving away free art supplies so that everyone that wants to, can try a new medium without spending a fortune. Those people that have no time or energy due to busy <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">schedules</span>...............I say, you got it <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">pooooooppppyyy</span>! I have a great friend who runs a business, works long hours, takes care of her beautiful house, and has a yard that is something out of home and garden. (kudos to her hubby too, <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">because </span> he is a sweetie and great guy) But regardless of how busy or tired she is , she finds time for her love of art. She makes amazing jewelry, altered art, paints, draws, does collage and every other form I am not saying.......<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">a lot</span> of her art she does for the love of it. She trades and swaps, which is out of love of collecting and love of giving too. She also has time to run an art gallery and sell on other sites and joins more art groups than I can read in one sitting and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">ohhh</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">yeahhhh</span> she blogs and award getting blog too. So if she can do it, so can you. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I think everyone would find their pain, stress, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">high blood pressure</span>, grief and tiredness a little easier to deal with and maybe even getting a little better if we take just a little time to set aside each day for ourselves and our art. no matter what art form you choose. There are many therapists out there that get paid big bucks to do art therapy with people to learn to equal and balance out their lives. So there must be something in that philosophy..........and if not, at least you have fun anyway!</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-18696794931071291172008-09-13T12:32:00.000-07:002008-09-13T13:43:01.056-07:00Trash or Art.........this is the question?hi gang.........<br />hope all is well in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">every one's</span> world. As always, I seem to be doing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">a lot</span> of nothing, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OK</span> not enough of what I want to be doing anyway. I was recently talking to someone, which I will not mention names.......I am not that kind of girl. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">OK</span>.....yes I am , but not this time <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">OK</span>! anyway , this person was discussing with another person an experience they had. They were talking about a trip they had to make (as a truck driver) to deliver a piece of 'art' and they were elaborating on their opinion of 'art' and what they felt this particular piece of 'art' really was............a piece of s..t , something that a kid could make........I am sure you have all heard someone say it. Of course the topic of art is always one I am interested in and had to butt into the conversation, in my quiet polite way.........quit laughing, those of you that know me, I know you are laughing! I asked Mr. X what was the reason he was not impressed with this recently trucked piece of art. He went on to inform me through his great knowledge and insight of the art world and what it was and should be, and how this piece was just a big blob of metal basically that the 'artist' had welded or melded together, and how in god's name could that be art. He seemed pretty sure that he could do the same type of project with his eyes closed. Even worse was the fact that someone had paid a huge amount of money for it. Not wanting to go to deep into the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">delving</span> of the art world and what art is to each person, but wanting to at least point out something............I mean, those of my friends and family would be very disappointed if I did not point out something of an opinion ,even if it is unwanted and unsolicited. I gave him the example of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Van Gogh</span> and the fact that the artist who now is so impressive and worthy , and his art pieces are impossible to purchase by us little minions. How those of us in the 'real' world by inexpensive prints of the famous artist's work and tack them in our art rooms or frame them and decorate our space with them. And I could not resist the desire to inform this person that this famous artist that, even he knew.........had never made a dime in his lifetime on one single piece of his art work. That I was pretty sure that someone in his time called it junk, s..t etc. I also gave the famous Salvador Dali who many, many thought was a fruit loop when he first started and all of sudden his quite 'unique' art took off. Now at least he was lucky enough to make a dollar or two in his lifetime, but there are many I think that make little or at least not enough trying to make and sell what makes their heart sing. <br />My son also gave me another reason to pause and then decide to write on this topic. He is the youngest of all 4 children and I admit is often the apple of his mothers eye. But he is also the one child out of all of my children, that I think was put on this earth for the sole purpose of keeping me humble. He does not hesitate to say what he 'really' thinks of an art piece , and often uses words that he knows will irritate me to no end ( and he always seems to be smiling while doing it), while looking through one of my chunky page books that I did in a swap (those that don't know what a chunky page is, it is basically a 4x4 page that is made on a thick piece of board and then done in whatever the theme of the swap is, using mixed mediums and lots of goodies to adorn it) he proceeded to go into a outpouring of knowledge on the level of art and talent of each of the artists, including mine. He proceeded to point out each page and a quote to go with each, 'this one I could have done in kindergarten, this one I could have done with my eyes shut......<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">etc</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">etc</span>. His girlfriend , whom like myself I might point out received an art scholarship when graduating from <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">high school</span>, spoke up before I could lam blast him , and said 'then you try doing it yourself, let's see what they look like'. I know now why I love her! then I lam blasted him anyway, just like I always do. So many people in this world really do not get it that the old saying 'art is in the eye of the beholder', 'one man's trash is another man's treasure' .....and so the sayings go are really famous quotes for a reason. I have always felt that if you look hard enough you can find art talent in everything and everyone. My family always looks at me strange when I pick up a rusty piece of metal off the ground and put it in my pocket..........'you never know what project I might need it for some day, I say when they laugh'...........or there is the many, many times while suffering through the hours of standing in the tool store, or 'whatever' store with the hubby (because I torture him in art stores and art departments, he says) and my brain starts doing it's own thing and I see an item that is used in mending a something or other as something that would be perfect in my art project. I love to go treasure hunting and look for goodies at yard sales, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">flea markets</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">antique stores</span> and second hand stores just to look for that little something that I might find useful someday. All of you out there that are getting caught up in the 'Altered Art' world, myself included..........just hang in there, someday the rest of the world will catch up and catch on too, and it will be priceless to everyone, not just the few. Nothing is more exciting to me than to see how the simple collage work I did in <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">high school</span> and college has transformed and changed into the amazing beautiful art form that it is now. <br />So the moral of my madness I guess is this..........everyone is armed with the Art Gene, we just have to learn to look for it and enhance it. Many people show their talent in the way they decorate their house, their garden, their yard etc. How they arrange the dishes in the china hutch or on the knick knack shelf. Many show it in the way they wrap a package, or arrange the ornaments on the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Christmas</span> tree. Some show it in the way they paint their cars, their walls and how they hang their tools in the the garage. If something does not tickle your fancy, it just usually means you are unsure and unfamiliar with it. Try squinting hard and maybe just maybe you might see what the artist saw when making the piece of art. Art should not be just about the money, although money is nice, and it should not just be about what the public thinks is popular, although popular is nice, it should be about what emotion and feelings it brings out in the artist and the person looking at it for the first time. I tend to be one of those 'sentimental' type artists that loves to make things that make me smile or laugh. I am sure some <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">psychologist</span> will tell you it is the 'inner' child in me that has always wanted to show up, and took a few years to feel safe doing it. But I really don't care why I make it, as long as I love making it. There are so many <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">artists</span> out there that I can not hold a candle to, and I am sure there are some that have just started and may say the same about mine, but the reality is...........art is not what you think it is, it is what the maker and the admirer think it is. Maybe if we all tried to stop and see a little art in everything there is out there in the world, we could be a tad more tolerant of those that are different than ourselves. Maybe the 'Art Feeling' could over flow into our home lives, our work lives and all of our worlds as well. So to my son and anyone else that thinks that some little art piece is so easy they could do it.............I SAY DO IT, AND DO IT NOW, WHAT BETTER DAY THAN TODAY! friends in art, sandyArtsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1351435589431130798.post-25321640033305464232008-08-31T11:49:00.000-07:002008-08-31T11:49:56.173-07:00Artsy Gemini's Crazy World: ' Rencent reading an art friends missing home'<a href="http://artsygemini.blogspot.com/2008/08/rencent-reading-art-friends-missing.html#links">Artsy Gemini's Crazy World: ' Rencent reading an art friends missing home'</a>Artsy Geminihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14117569089815126653noreply@blogger.com0