Two small pieces and a scribble.
With small, you get [almost] instant gratification.
With scribbling, you get relief from tension.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 One day, in a fit of laziness, I bought a package of pre-cut duck canvas for ATCs by 7gypsies. In my book, it's laziness because I have some canvas and scissors, and could have (usually do) made my own backgrounds.

Anyway, I've been using them. Two layers of canvas stitched together before embellishing. The resin bird is from Stampdiva.

The bluebird of happiness!

My Funny Valentine

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

I make artist trading cards (ATCs) for relaxation. It's odd that my work can also be my relaxation, but true. ATCs or ACEOs are miniature works of art, original and one of a kind. This year I'm offering them as stocking stuffers, in their own little pouch. These were added to my Etsy shop this morning.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 Midweek on my work table, ATCs (artist trading cards), a tag, and an idea on a multicoloured card (more on that next month as the project is in the works and I'm not at liberty to say anything right now). I really enjoy ATCs because of their size and how much you can do with them, to say nothing of instant gratification.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's such a beautiful day that the running around I did was actually a pleasure. There is nothing like the scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth (from yesterday's rain) to make me feel alive. After my errands, I walked in the park where I helped a little boy who was scared of a squirrel believing it was a raccoon. Now he knows the difference between the two.

Back at my work table, I sorted a few things out and realized that I haven't made artist trading cards for a long time. I love working on these little works of art.

 Friday three.


 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 I hate to neglect my blog, but when I'm feeling poorly I have little to say. Happily I'm feeling much better and my mood is lifting. Making ATCs always makes me happy; I haven't made any [paper] ones in a long, long time. These are my latest.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

 It was time to do some stitching.
Small is good, especially when you have so many small pieces piled up in a number of boxes....

 Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

It's much cooler indoors today.
Unfortunately I have to go out in the sweltering heat.

Simplicity is the removal of the useless and the unnecessary--source unknown

The Bright side to the Mess

There's a bright side to The Mess. Everything is laid out before you . Yes, you do have to go through little piles of mess, but still, it's right there in front of you.

So, three paper scraps, one ATC card, glue, and a new piece is born. (In this case, I Photoshopped it, too.)

Always look for the bright side; you'll find it, even if it's only a glimmer.

Proteccion de la naturaleza

I did some shopping at the YWCA's charity shop this weekend. I found a couple of things and was ready to pay for my purchases when I spied a pile of sheets of themed cancelled postage stamps near the cash desk. Among them, two sheets of bird stamps. Obviously they came home with me. One migrated to this ATC.

There is a group of birds who alight onto my balcony and have long conversations -- they don't just twitter, they sing, and they make me happy.

And even though I've told certain friends that after making bird art for so long, and long before it became a popular trend, I was "birded out", I do pay homage to my feathered friends every so often. To thank them for being around!

This ATC was made with my own carved stamps. Chirp, tweet and hallelujah!

For this month's ATC trading at BizzyB's, the theme was house. My houses focused on the inhabitants, humans and plants... each one had a purpose. There was no thinking, no coming up with ideas -- it just happened. Oddly, I've been dreaming about houses, and houses that I've recognized from previous dreams. Houses symbolize the self, so it was quite an interesting message for me (I always pay attention to my dreams).

Friday's child

Wet.
The Weather.
Wet all weekend.
When we have good weather in March, we always have to pay for it. Still. it was worth it for the week of warm sunshine.

This evening I go to my monthly ATC group at BizzyB's. There was no theme imposed so I was able to do anything I wanted. You can see that spring was on my mind...

Shoes

I love shoes, I always have. Esthetics apart, for me, shoes symbolize the base on which we stand (our feet carry the rest of us), moving forward (not backwards), confidence, strength....

In my life, faced with adversity, I've always moved forward, consciously or unconsciously. I may have fallen backwards occasionally, but I've always pushed on, driven by what I really don't know. Survival? The conviction that there had to be something better?

One of the sayings I live by is, "I moved forward when there was no path." I don't know who wrote that, but I thank him or her.

[Shoe stamp by my friend Dawn Houser.]