Index Collage Art Card- Flower Theme and Puzzle Letter

 Title: Letter From a Friend Read in the Rain

This is a swap card collage made on an index card. I had made two and good thing I did so because the one I originally planned to send I "wrecked" due to using the wrong product! Put on your glasses old lady! LOL. I will keep it and "fix" it for another project or a journal. Nothing is 100% ruined.

I also had done a puzzle letter swap. That was interesting. I bought a puzzle that I think is so cute from Dollar Tree but the pieces do not interlock so even putting it together is a PITA!! I don't know how I'd be able to flip it over and write a letter on it. So I made a trip to the thrift store and found several 100 piece puzzles!! for less than I paid for the DT one. My partner likes Disney so I put together this one and it went super well and was fun to do. I hope she likes it. We keep the boxes so I have a cute picture to turn into postcards or packing material for flat items. Fun fun and win win!!!

As for the DT puzzle, I will make it but glue it right away. Maybe for a journal cover or something. It is so silly and cute! When I do so I shall share here.

Swallow the Darkness

 

This painting is entered in the Art and Mental Health art show at the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls, WI. It is done in acrylics. The original concept came from my Composition journal I started when depression was crushing me. I took a Comp. notebook and only black sharpie and worked in it daily. When the show was announced I entered and was accepted. It isn't big, only 8x10 but it means a lot to me. One day I will do a video and show the rest of the book-if I ever create a YouTube channel.

I went to see the show after the opening so I could take my time and absorb other's pieces. It was a real eye opener! Please go to any show portraying mental health and art. You will not regret it. Each had a story even if it wasn't written. Some suffer so much they used a pseudo name as artist or no name at all. Some had no descriptions. The art was from huge original paintings by people who do it for a living down to the smallest creations from art therapy. The show truly showed the power of art and the deepness of people who struggle...or have struggled, as was shown by one family's showing of their son's work who sadly committed suicide.

It made me realize my suffering is nothing compared to others. We are all in this together!! One never knows what that person next to you is going through. Be kind.

Where Have I Been?

 

Hi all!!

Going on 10 years ago I developed a vestibular condition that causes severe vertigo. It is a condition I will live with for the rest of my life with management. It eventually cost me my health and job. I retired last year from my beloved rural mail carrier position, which was traumatic. I still am dealing with the depression and feelings of being lost but it is getting better. Art is helping in that regard. 

Being as rural as we are, friends are few and far between. Since the pandemic I have lost more friends but by joining our local Democratic group, I have gained new ones. None are artsy types though. I am still looking for that tribe.

Blogging seems to be on the outs but I thought I'd give it a go again. Thus here I am, if for nothing else but for my own record. It is interesting to see the projects I've done in the past that I have forgotten about. 

Inktober Days 1 and 2

I am participating in Inktober 2016 hosted through Artsnacks.co.  I purchased their special Inktober Artsnacks box which came with pens, a beautiful special addition drawing book, india ink, a stylus pen with nibs, a beautiful handcrafted (and ethically crafted, no animals were killed in obtaining the hair) sable brush and of course a candy :).

I am following the suggestion calendar and here are my drawings.

Day 1, FAST

 A Thelwell pony :).

Day 2, NOISY

A bellowing mama cow.  We have a stinker bull calf that keeps escaping the pasture and lounging around the hayfield.  His mother will bellow all day long for him and he of course just ignores her.  It gets really annoying after awhile.

Imprint, Hometown and Wolverines Oh My

These are two of my latest swaps I've made.  Above left is a body print that I made with rubber stamping ink and colored with watercolor.

The other is a postcard I had made back in 2014, just the woman and the wolverine.  I had put it away and when I needed a swap card I found the quote about the nature of the wolverine and knew it was just what this card needed.  It was fun to make.

Another swap I did was the "Hometown" swap where we took at least 5 photos of our hometown and sent them on.


Below is one page of my album, of our Post Office where I work.  I ended up sending 12 photos and a Polish flag postcard.  My recipient gave me a "heart" due to the envelope (on the left), not the swap LOL.

Ransom Note Postcard and "E" Postcard

My partner in the ransom note postcard said she despised anything Trump so I figured he'd be a good candidate to get me some really good cake.  :)

The letter "E" postcard was to be of something with the letter.  I thought of this right away but didn't think a giant bird eye or a human eye would look right so I just did this.  I don't know if it is to exact swap rules but she liked it and that is what matters.

A Book Themed Postcard Swap

I am always so happy when I find a postcard swap that includes handmade postcards.  This one is to be book themed and can be a store bought card or made.  I haven't any store bought that have a book as the main theme, just some with people reading.  So I did this ink and watercolor this morning to fit the bill.  I almost hate to send it directly through the mail but you know what?  It is a POSTCARD.  Yes, original art, not a print but art is meant to be shared by everyone including the postal people.

I don't know why there is such a dislike of handmade postcards.  I have received many that are wall worthy in my opinion.  If I got this one it would be a keeper for me...but then again I am a bit biased.

MEOW!!