Mark Making Morning

I had some tea left this morning, English Breakfast Tea, to be exact.  I used what was left to do some marking on a wonderful piece of brown packaging paper.  So fun and easy to do!

Paper collage and Origami Reading for a Sunday Afternoon

It's Sunday.  Jeff worked around the house for awhile while I wrote Penpal letters then took a nap.  (I LOVE my naps!). After a run to the market for this week's groceries we both settled in for a little bit of reading.  

Jeff had found an origami book in the used book section of our library.  For a quarter, he couldn't resist it.  While the origami in the book is easy, he found a couple of fun items to make that kept him humored awhile.

And while Jeff played with squares of colorful origami paper, I researched glue and finishing techniques and instructions in Crystal Neubauer's book, The Art of Expressive Collage: Techniques for Creating with Glue and Paper.  I love her work and wish I lived near enough to where she teaches.  Rumor has it she'll be coming out with some technique videos this fall.  

Thankfully, I found what I was looking for in her book and need now to apply the materials and techniques to my collage work.

If you're interested in beginning origami or paper and glue collage, these are two resources I highly recommend! ... So now, is it time to play with collage fodder, write another Penpal letter, make dinner, or take another nap .....  Oh how I love Sundays!

Midsummer Maker Meet

paper Owl Artists is participating in Florida Atlantic University's summer Maker Meet.  We're here with 14 other talented artists, crafters, and edible goodie makers.  It's 90 degrees outside with 90% humidity.  Thank goodness the event is being held inside the air conditioned paper lab.  Here's a few looks at our booth.

Fun with Scanned Paper Collage

I'm reading and working through the exercises in Randel Plowman's Collage Worrkbook:

It's a wonderful book that explains collage materials and techniques, and provides 50 collage project prompts to get your motor running.  I played with #32, Scanned Collage.  I randomly put pictures (and items) on a copier machine, pressed the copy button, and voila', my resukts!  Each collage is 4"x4", mounted on a manilla file folder, which is all I had available when I made them.  Definitely a fun exercise.  I'd definitely make more if I had more time!

Work - A Study in Office Supplies

So I've been spending my lunch hour at work immersed in making a couple of mini 4"x4" collages.  Here's how they've come along so far.

I still have to add some paint and gesso but what a fun way to spend my lunch hour.  Sure beats eating things I'm best not eating!  I'll show you the final product soon!

These Little Birdies - A Mixed Media First

My creative muse has been tugging at me to try my hand at mixed media.  I did and loved it!  Here's a look at my first work in progress.  I'd do some things differently if I could but for a first try, I'm happy!  I didn't even have time to hang it in the wall before my daughter took it home with her.  I guess this means on to the next blank canvas!

An Art and Wrestling Kind of Day

So today, I took a mini card making class and Jeff is at Enigma, a semi-professional wrestling event held in Lake Worth, Forida, the first Sunday of every month.   I was going to join him but then decided to get my Barnes and Noble fix and write some Penpal letters.  It's been a really busy but very nice holiday weekend.  Here's a sampling of my accomplishments, some comolete, some still works in progress.

                   Mini card book

           Yet unfinished collage which

         will be used for greeting cards

  The start of a mixed media piece of which I have no idea of the direction it will tar.  Right now it reminds me of the Everglades or an Amazonian jungle.

While at Barnes and Noble, I picked up a copy of an art journaling magazine.  I turned to the last page and there was a short article on doing art, any way you can if the muse strikes, but just do it.  There's no right way or wrong way.  It was just what I needed to hear.  Serendipity strikes just when you need it most.

Paper Play on the 4th of July

Happy 4th of July all.  We hope you're each enjoying your day in whatever way you're celebrating.  Jeff and I are having a paper play kind of day.  Hes making a blank journal:

I'm tearing paper to make a collages for greetings cards and also painting a small canvas with acrylic paint for an idea I have:

Tomorrow I'm taking a class in making mini cards with case holder while Jeff either goes to see the new Terminator movie or goes to a local professional wrestling match (he's a big WWE) fan.  All in all a good weekend so far!

Stampfest Fun!

We're back from Stampfest , in Lakeland, Florida, and what fun we both had!  Jeff and I each took a workshop class on Friday, shopped our heads and pocketbooks off and Saturday, and had an adventure filled drive home afterwards.

The vendor fair today was VERY busy.  Many booths and many shoppers.  I made a few make-and-takes, watched some demos, and spent far too much money.

Believe it or not, Tim Holtz had a huge booth at the show AND was there IN PERSON demo'ing his many different products and techniques.

Jeff took a card making class Friday but hasn't taken photos yet of the 8 cards he made so you're stuck seeing only bits and pieces of what I started making in the mail art class I took.  Linda Crofton taught the class.  She's a fabulously talented artist and all around lively and friendly person and teacher.  While she was giving her introduction she mentioned she swaps mail art on Swap-Bot.com .  As soon as she mentioned her swap name I realized she'd been a partner of mine in a swap!  What fun it was to learn this.  I couldn't wait to get back home and find the envelope she'd sent me.

So here are a few of my works in progress ....

                                      One stamp using multi colored inks, overstamped with
                                                         black circles and phrases.

Envelope front .... address will go in center blank space

Return address will be written next to the little bird

Envelope back in progress.

We also made some altered, collaged, stamped postcards.  The postcards were cut from used cardboard cereal boxes.  So easy to make! m I still have to color the dress on the altered little girl and maybe add some sponged inking around the edges.

Mail art is so easy and fun to do.  It's so much fun that's it's worth it to start paying my bills by regular mail again!  Actually, I've been doing mail art in one form or fashion for years, decorating envelopes of the letters I write to my 25+ penpals.  I even make my own decorated stationery when I have the time.

Tomorrow (or Monday), I'll post pictures of the cards Jeff made.  Later this week, too, I'll post pics of some of the things we bought as well as our "walking" adventure home Saturday afternoon!  In the meantime, thanks for reading!

Finding Inspiration in Steampunk/Shabby Handmade Greeting Cards

It's been a little while since we last posted.  Sometimes you just need to take a break.  I know that's true for me.  For awhile I thought I'd lost my interest altogether.  I wondered if my inner critic had finally won out, stripping me of my creativity, my feelings of inspiration and being called to do something.  Jeff was still making cards throughout my greeting card funk.  While I turned to reading and studying intuition (a topic and practice I'm very interested in) as well as writing family photo stories, Jeff continued be inspired, trying new card designs, posting to our Etsy shop, and just letting me cycle through my interests.  Last week he showed me a new design he'd been working on - collage cards.  Steampunk/shabby in feel, Jeff was experimenting with them for an off-beat indie craft show we'll be at in October.

I loved them and wondered what I could come up with if I tried my hand at some.  Here are my first attempts - a little dark and cluttered looking, but a start nonetheless, and a great way to spend a VERY stormy Sunday afternoon.

If you happen to be in the Delray Beach, Florida area come visit us at the Stitch Rock Indie Craft Show, Saturday, October 4, 2014, Noon - 6 p.m.  We'd love to see you!