Live Your Art: Wishchicks

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Father's Day Challenge and RAK!

Happy Father's Day! I'm hosting my first challenge on My Daughter's Wish's Wishchick blog, and it's in honor of dear old dad! The theme is "something my father gave me", and you can check out all of the details here. You've got a week to play and post, and you can use any medium - layout, card, ATC, written blog post, anything! I'm giving away a RAK for the challenge, but I'm also giving away a RAK here, too! Just leave a comment about what your father gave you, and I'll pick one random winner on Sunday, June 22. You'll need to post by 11:59 pm, Saturday, June 21 to be eligible for the drawing. By the way, Saturday June 21 is my Journey Travel Mini-album class! Check it out on the right:)

Here's what you could win

I have an amazing dad, and there are so many things he has given to me over the years, but since this is an art blog, I thought I'd share his art. Gary is a gifted photographer, and when I was a teenager, he taught me how to use a 35mm. I've been using a point and shoot for the last six years, since my daughter was born, so f settings and such are fuzzy for me now. What has remained is what he taught me about framing shots. Even with my little digital, I stil capture some great photographs because he taught me to see like a photographer. Here are a few of his pictures. They were all too big to fit on my scanner, so I'm afraid they are pictures of pictures, so excuse the poor quality!

These are just a few of the many, many beautiful shots he's taken. Thank you, Gary! Happy Father's Day!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Summer Explorations

Whew! Summer's here, and I've been able to play a little. I sent off a package to Somerset at the last minute (but still by the deadline!) for their black and white call. I am finally starting to get back on track with projects for the Artist's Circle Yahoo group, and we're doing Beryl Taylor again. Happy about that one, since I was too busy to play round one. I actually ordered Mixed Media Explorations this time, and I'm so glad I did! Beryl gives great examples, and more importantly to me, lots of instruction on technique! I highly recommend it. I do want to give a brief plug for my upcoming mini-album class on June 21. Check it out at the right! Okay, on to the challenges!

First up, Laura's wonderful Wishchick challenge for My Daughter's Wish - PAINT! Is there anything better??? GPP Street Team has crayon rubbings this month, so I used some paper I made for that on my layout. I used a lego base for the pattern, then covered it with yellow paint. I glued some hand dyed paper towel over that, then edged it with white crayon. I also edged the LO in white paint. Check out her fab pages and challenge here - you could win a RAK! The topic - thanking someone - is catalyst #13 at Creative Therapy this week. So many people came to mind, but I settled on my husband. I think I usually give him more grief then thanks, but he is the light of my life. Thanks, babe!

A few samples of rubbings - I've just started to play with this, but I find I prefer just the crayon texture under paint to an actual design. It gives a great background layer! I think I'll make several texture papers to keep on hand for projects. The card was made from a rubbing I took from my brush cup! It's a fabulous little ceramic cup with glazed fish around it that my brother gave me. I used a paper scrap from my desk that had ink remnants on it and embossed over it. It fit so nicely with the By the Sea theme at Mixed Media Monday, so I made a simple card.

Now I really must clean my house. Art and house keeping seem to be diametrically opposed. I try to ignore it when I'm working, but after awhile the clutter (not to mention the dog hair on the floor) crawls up my spine like an army of red ants and I have to submerge myself in domestic duties. But maybe I'll make more more sheet of fabric paper first...