Recycled Greeting Card Chunkies

Ever wonder what to do with those greeting cards you receive?  Instead of just tossing them, why not recycle them?  That's what we did for this month's chunky pages.

As I went through my stash of Christmas cards, I pulled out the ones that had the shiny foil features in red, gold, silver, etc.  This would be my unifying element.  I then used circle punches to create lots and lots of circles in a variety of sizes.  It's so interesting to see how the different sized circles change the look of the original image!  You know how you can't always recognize a common object when you look at it  through a microscope?  Same idea.  

I selected  5 different sized circles for each of my pages.  I arranged them in overlapping fashion to fit on the 4 x 4 chunky format.  I secured the circles with two-sided tape to hold them in place while I free-motioned stitched around the circles.  You will see that my back ground is a high-gloss silver cardstock.  My thread is metallic gold.  All of these elements help to tie my foil Christmas card circle punches together into one cohesive chunky page.

Relaxing with a Coloring Book

I've been seeing lots and lots of these adult coloring books lately.  I was toying with the idea of trying one, but never seemed to find the time to just well, color.  About a mont.

h ago, my classmates and I were together at a gathering.  One of my classmates had picked up one of these coloring books called "The Lost Sea" and thought it would be fun if we each took turns coloring in the book--sort of like an AB round robin.  They asked me to start and I happily took on the challenge.

I started by flipping through the pages--all of them were "ocean-themed" pages.  Some of them were multi-page pull-outs.  I would have loved to have done one of those pages, but was not sure I would have the time.  Better to start smaller.  

The page you see above it the one that I was drawn to.  I got out a bunch of my gel pens and got to work.  I started from the inside/center and slowly worked my way out.  I say "slowly" because I was surprised at how much time it took me to color.  It took me three nights to finish the multi-colored spread (circle frame).  I was even more surprised at how unconscious I was of the time I spent coloring.  I found it relaxing, almost meditative to sit and get lost in the simple activity of coloring a page.  I also found it addicting!  As slow as I was to start this project, I couldn't wait to come home after work and start coloring.

I found myself with enough time to do the second spread (the simple circle) before it was time to pass the book to the next contributor.  I experimented with a green/blue palette since this was, after all, all things "ocean."  I had several pens in this palette but ended up using highlighters because they  made it easier to cover the larger spaces.  Accents of glitter glue add a finishing sparkle to the pages.

I am now officially hooked on adult coloring books!  

Chunkies are baaack!

After an extended hiatus, I must say that it feels great to be creating on a regular basis again!  I have had to scale back my commitments this year, but the chunkies are the perfect fit.

We decided to start this new chunky round by illustrating the word or intention we have chosen to focus on for 2016.  My word for 2016 is "Replenish."

I think this first set of chunkies will be a very inspiring set of pages for all of us!  What better way to bring an intention into focus than creating art inspired by that word.

Embellished condiment spoons

Over the holidays, I was gifted with a condiment spoon embellished with colored wire and beads.  I just loved the idea and thought I would try my hand at it.

I started by anchoring a piece of 24 gauge wire around the neck of the spoon by wrapping the wire around the end 4 times (you can wrap more than this if you like).

After the fourth wrap, I positioned a small bead in the center of the spoon handle and wrapped once more to secure it.  Next, I added two beads and positioned them on top of the handle and secured it with one more wrap of the wire.

Continue  to alternate one bead, wrap once, two beads, wrap once, etc. until you have placed a total of 7 beads.  Wrap four times and trim wire.  That's it!!  Of course, depending on how big or long your spoon is, this design can easily be adapted.  Play with colors and bead sizes to create a nice variety of designs!

The End of Another Round Robin

 

 

After a year and a half of inspiration and creativity, these books are bursting with beautiful artwork!  Thank you to everyone who contributed to another rewarding altered book round robin!  

See you in February!

Imagination Illustrated

I got to work in Jen's book "Imagination Illustrated" for the final book of this round robin.  I had forgotten that Jen had encouraged the artists to collaborate by continuing an idea from one page onto another.   When I started glancing through the pages of this book, I saw Darrell's spread entitled "Muppets After Dark" which featured a bunch of googly eyes in the dark.

So this got me thinking...I had done a little research on Jim Henson and the Muppets.  I had even seen a show about him on PBS recently.  I learned that Kermit the Frog was thought to be Henson's alter ego.  I then got this idea that to see the world through Jim Henson's eyes was like looking through Kermit's eyes.  Do you see where this is going?

I took the shape of Kermit's pupils and created cut-outs.  I wanted to illustrate what the world looked like through Kermit's eyes.  Since Henson created the Muppets, I wanted to show the Muppets through Kermit's eyes.

I found a quote from Henson that really fit my spread.  It reads:  "Certainly I've lived my whole life through imagination.  But the world of imagination is there for all of us...a sense of play, of pretending, of wonder.  It's there with us as we live."  

Constructing a Game Plan

Constructing a Game Plan.  What is this theme all about?  Note to self: ask Pat to explain her theme to me.  Brainstorm.  Stream of consciousness.  Thoughts…ideas…images?  Nothing.  Wait a minute.  A map—different routing—ala Mapquest.  Is that a game plan?  Is there a technique I can build my spread around?

Aargh!  What activities do I engage in that require a plan?  Well, when I used to go to garage sales, I would grab the listings and pick the ones I wanted to hit based on the neighborhoods with the good stuff, the description of sale items, etc.  Of those I wanted to go to, I had to map out the order in which to hit them.  Factors to consider:  start time (hit the best sales early!), group them according to general geographic location, traffic considerations.  Get out the map book (yes, this was in the days before Google Maps and GPS).  Could I illustrate this idea in an AB spread?  Maybe, but how?  OK, put it aside for now.  Let the idea marinate a bit.  Any other options to explore?

Tick tock, tick tock.  I think about how challenging it can be to schedule a playdate.  Pick a project.  (I recently hosted a gelli plate playdate).  Check the calendar for possible dates.  Send an email out to see which dates work best for most.  Wait for feedback.  Not everyone can make those dates.  Consider alternative dates.  Check if more people can make the alternative dates.  Make an executive decision to select the date.  Send a confirming email.  Remind players what materials to bring (gelli plate, papers, acrylic paints, mark making tools).  In the days leading up to the playdate, I start gathering my materials, clean up the work space, set up a work table.  Wait.  Hold it.  This idea is NOT working for me.  I don’t like it.  Go on.  Abandon it.  Move on.  Start over again.  OMG, are you kidding me?  

 

Time is wasting.  I really need to start honing in on an idea and sharpening the thought I want to express if I’m ever going to get these pages done in time.  What idea?  What thought?  I am feeling the time constraints.  How many weekends do I have left until the next AB meeting?  Not many.  Wouldn’t be so bad if I only had an idea!!  Stress!!

Then I had this idea to create “The Anatomy of an AB Spread.”  You know, the process we all go through from inception to completion of an AB spread--a peek into the crazed mind of an altered book artist--with a looming deadline.  I feel things starting to take shape but the manifestation is still fuzzy.  Funny how the lack of a clear idea and and those pesky time constraints can really zap the creative energy out of you!! 

   

OK.  Breathe.  Running out of time.  Grander, more ambitious ideas will take more time to execute properly.  Reality is setting in.  Time to adapt, simplify.  Just start.  Do something!!   Back to my original idea.  Really??  Consider a mock up to help my ideas to gel.  What will translate visually?  I keep hearing Su’s words to me “If your thoughts are clear, your art will follow.”  Well my thoughts AREN’T clear hence, there is no art to follow!  Yikes!  Help!  What to do?  More stress!!

Then it hit me.  The vision that popped into my head as I honed in on this idea was actually an adaptation of the Mapquest idea.  I realized that there was a multitude of ways to get from Point A to Point B.  Sort of like a subway map.  Sort of like creating an AB spread.  I'm picturing colorful lines depicting different routes that will eventually lead you from Point A to Point B.  So many different permutations, detours, options...Sort of like creating an AB spread!

The vision is coming into focus.  It’s part map AND part anatomy of an AB spread.  Brilliant!!  Exciting how it’s all starting to come together.  Yes!  Of course!  All of what I’ve been doing--the brainstorming, going back and forth between ideas, exploring possibilities, starting down one path then abandoning it, adapting and starting anew— this IS a visual representation of how I construct a game plan, how I create an AB spread!  Whew!!  I did it!!  And I even have a week to spare!