Come Out, Come Out, Wherever you are!!

I realize that Valentine's Day has come and gone but I hope you'll bear with me as I present today's Show and Tell... For the month of February I set out to create a special piece of mail art that I would send to my partner on the Envie Addicts Unite! thread at ATC's for All. This special mailing was affectionately dubbed Weirdy Mail, it was created to be a fun way to shake things up by setting aside our usual envelope swap and instead sending an unusual work of art or object through the mail. These items were intended to be sent naked, which means without packaging or boxes for all to see and enjoy the ART as it traveled to it's final destination!! The first hurdle was getting past our local postal workers, many of us had encountered some raised eyebrows and a multitude of questions but in the end I believe everyone has been successful with the post office accepting our items. Before I even created my project I talked to my local post master to find out if I would have any problems and was assured that I could go ahead with no restrictions! When my project was completed and the time had come to mail my Weirdy Mail to my partner I excitedly went to the post office to send it off. Everything went without a hitch, the appropriate amount of stamps were applied and it's journey had begun... I was told that it would probably take 3 or 4 days to arrive since we are both on the west coast. I anxiously awaited a response from my partner but the days keep ticking away... it is nowhere in sight... 14 days and counting!! No ransom notes or phone calls... my Weirdy is MIA!!! My post office friends just smile and say "hmmm, that's odd, it should be there...have a nice day."  It's obvious that they are not artists or they would be calling for an investigation!! 

Sooo, since I couldn't figure out who to contact to get my missing child's photo on the side of a milk carton or to report an official amber alert, I've decided to go ahead and share it's photos with you!! If anyone recognizes it or knows the whereabouts of my Weirdy, there is a reward for it's safe return!! (No questions asked!!)

Weirdy Heart - front view - paper mache, tissue paper, acrylics & markers

Weirdy Heart - back view - w/ built in envelope & card

Accordion Flag Card - open view ( I shared this in a previous post)

 Thanks for stopping by...until next time, Ciao!!

I haven't "lost my marbles"... this is really fun!!

I'm always looking for background designs to build upon for my various projects. The more colors and shapes the better in my opinion. Looking back at some tried and true methods from my past endeavors, I came up with a renewed urge to do some paper marbling. I really haven't done any in years, it was a favorite project when teaching my art classes for kids. They marveled at the works of art that they were able to create. I really loved seeing their enthusiasm & the fun they were having with it!!  So, what better thing to do on a deary winter day than to have some of that simply wonderful fun for myself!!

I have used a few different methods of marbling but I find the one I'm using today to be the easiest I've found while giving great results and being very economical to acquire all the supplies needed!

Below are a couple photos and a list of your needed supplies.

1. Liquid Starch - I got this jug at Wal-Mart (or local grocery stores)
2. Craft Acrylic Paint -  an assortment of colors - a little dab'll do ya!! 
3. Sheets of paper - I've had great luck with card stock (very affordable, too!!)
4. 2 Shallow Baking Pans -  One for marbling & One for rinsing
5. Plastic containers - any style you wish, for thinning paint in
6. Eye droppers (optional) - I like to use these for paint dropping (or brushes) 
7. Combs, skewers  - used to run through paint to create your patterns
8. Newspapers - for cleaning paint residue & drying papers on 
9. Liquid Dish Soap - just enough to add only 1 drop to each color you use

Let's get started creating some wonderful art... 

Don't forget to have FUN!!

First things first... set up your work area with all of your supplies!

• Take 1 Baking Pan & fill with water for rinsing your paper sheets
• Fill the 2nd Baking Pan with Liquid Starch - (approx. 1 inch deep)
• Prepare your Acrylic Paint in containers - thin with water to a consistency like milk (if it is too thick, it will sink to bottom of starch - too thin, it will spread out too much & color won't be as bright) Add 1 drop of dish soap & mix
• Set out some newspapers where you have room for drying your marbled papers after rinsing - do not stack - (or you can also hang papers from a line if you prefer)

Alright, we are ready to rumble... uhmm, I mean marble!!

At this point it would be ideal for you to see a video of me actually creating but I am not up on all that newfangled stuff... I'm somewhat electronically challenged!! However; you are in luck, there are some wonderfully talented artists with You Tube videos on marble paper techniques... it would be worth your while to check them out and actually see what I would have a hard time explaining effectively!! Several of them easily show step by step how to create the various styles of patterns by using the combs and skewers. They also show you how to skim the paint residue between printings with the newspaper strips that you've gathered. Seeing is believing... It really is quite easy to get going once you just jump in and try!! 

Below are some examples of marble sheets that I created. I always use half sheets of paper when marbling, they are a perfect size to easily use in many of my projects... postcards, ATC's, greetings cards, journal covers or even to cover other objects!!

Thanks for stopping by... 

Hopefully you've been inspired enough to give paper marbling a try!! 

 Until next time... Blessings to you all!!

Spread the LOVE around!!

Just a quickie Valentine's Day Show & Tell... No matter what society says or thinks, I believe that Valentine's Day is not reserved solely for Sweethearts! Yes, LOVE is what it's all about, but Love comes in all shapes & sizes from all kinds of relationships!!  Valentine cards are the perfect way to reach out to those around us, to let them know that we're thinking of them and wishing them a life filled with LOVE!! 

As an artist, I really love to make my own Valentines. Whether you think of yourself as creative or not, it doesn't take too much expertise to make a handmade card. However, it does takes time... what better way in this busy world of ours is there to show how much you care!!  Cards can be made from using just about any supplies that you may already have laying around the house... construction paper, card stock, paper doilies, markers, colored pencils, rubber stamps and ink, photos, magazine pages, glue, scissors, hole punches, tape... let your imagination run wild and above all else, have FUN!!

Below is a photo of some postcard style Valentines that I have made for this year. If you are interested in trying out your hand with this style card, I have posted some instructions in a previous post! (Scroll down through my last few posts to help you get started on some ideas of your own) 

Mixed media "Valentine" Postcards on 140lb watercolor paper 

Happy Valentine's Day and Blessings of Love to All!!