my first journal book

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!

hi 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! sandy