Cards for holiday sale

I have been having a blast making cards for the holiday sale at Unity Church of Lawrence. During the summer, I got 3 disks of vintage photos from e-bay. They are copyright free and came from Canada. I only paid .99 each and the photos are awesome! I got Christmas, tattoos and wild west. I used some of my own photos as well as the Christmas photos and made "Dysfunctional Family Christmas" cards! It was really fun to think of snarky comments for them and I hope people like them! Here they are:

I used my program that is similiar to Photoshop called Micorsoft Picture It. I am not sure how it got on my computer--maybe it came with it but I like it. You can manipulate photos in several different ways. I then printed the pictures on speckled card stock, cut them out and glued them on blank cards. I make labels for the back that said Dysfunctional Family Christmas with this blog, in case anyone would ever want to contact me!

I think they turned out cute and hopefully others will understand my sense of humor!

Art or Craft????

I have been contemplating this question lately. I realize that the term "artist" does not feel right. I thought it was because I just was not comfortable with it but in exploring books and blogs and craft fairs, I have come to realize that "crafter" feels more like home to me. I am not sure is that is good or not. Maybe I should stretch to become an artist???? I have realized that I am really good at following directions. I can create things because I can follow directions. I am not very successful at creating my own patterns--the exception is creating collages--but like with sewing, I have something to start with--printed papers or fabrics. I can do freestyle stuff like this fabric collage/art quilt, "Ode to Diabetes"

It turned out to be a tribute to my son Jacob and his struggle with type 1 diabetes. That was not my intention--it was a diabetes piece but not Jacob--however that is what it turned into.

I like these because I can free hand the pieces. I don't have to mix colors only pick colors I like. It is fun but takes a lot of mental energy. I do not spend enough time doing this but more following directions, patterns etc. I just joined a yahoo group for fabric postcard exchanges. I thought that would give me an opportunity to do some of these on a small scale and practice more.

So art or craft? What really is the difference except how much you pay for it! Really there has to be more of a difference then that!

Lily??? but sounds like me...

I am a Lily What Flower Are You?

"Your artistic expression tends to show up in flamboyant bursts. When you are feeling creative, it consumes your every thought and action. But just as quickly as the muse shows up, it leaves you and you are back to your relatively normal self."...Yep that's me!

Holiday Sale

I did not get a spot in the local Bizarre Bazaar which if fine because I do not think I have the inventory for such a big show--being that it would be my first time. I am however, going to sell items at the Unity Church Craft Sale in early December. I check their web page but it is not listed. I have the following items that will be ready:

Memory wire bracelets

Fabric bowls

Glass marble pendants and bracelets

Knitted nose warmers

Knitted socks

Felted purses

Note Cards

Dancing Goddesses

Possibly some Fimo clay jewelery

I tried a lot of different stuff to see what people like, what sells easily, what I am good at and what is fun to make. I will post photos soon.

I have recently been inspired by an awesome artist I met at the Baldwin City Maple Leaf Festival-- http://baldwin-city.com/mapleleaf/

The artist is Jane Hosey-Stern and she has Junque Drawer Studio she had amazing found object art and the stuff I love. It was like she took all the stuff in my room and put it together. I got some amazing ideas to bring my things together--like what sorts of findings to use. She offers workshops and I am hoping to be able to participate in one. It is funny how you found people when you are ready. I met her, then right next door is an artist I met in Lawrence who is friends with Jane, then come to find out the new secretary at church is friends with her as well and is creating a studio of sorts in her home! I feel like I suddenly made all these connections to help me along my artistic path!

The Maple Leaf Festival is a great arts and crafts festival. Several years ago, it was a very Americana style event but it is really grown and there is a larger variety of vendors. I went to a great quilt store there http://www.quiltingfabricsupply.com/ and found some very cool Huckleberry Finn fabrics. My friend Cheryl bought some too. Here is a pic. of them. I am going to make a rag quilt for Jacob.

This is hard to find! I hope I have enough! The fabric I have has a blue background and I also bought a complimentary fabric that has words from the book printed on it. Jacob received the nickname "Huck Finn" in 7th grade so will be quite surprised by this quilt!

I love my new sewing machine and have been spending a lot of time with it since my 40th birthday. It is a Kenmore and does an amazing job. I am discovering a love for sewing that I guess I never realized I had. I made a 2nd art quilt--An "Ode to Diabetes" that I will post and it was a blast. I have two more planned and a new neighbor who quilts and is going to show me how to do the binding on the sides!

So it has been a busy and productive fall with tons of inspiration and connections! I am happy for the time change as it aways puts me in a better moood!