365 in 2013: #225 - 229

Collages, collages everywhere!  With this long weekend I totally plan to get caught up (when the hell did I fall so far behind????) - Yay, time for an arting weekend..... So you're not overwhelmed with collages, here's a few I've done this week before the weekend onslaught.

#225 - What Feels Right?   - some swapped papers & a paint strip from the UK (thanks Dawn) on blue cardstock.

#226 - Don't Worry  - Swapped old ledger sheets, book pages from a 1940's bk, p/c text, etc. Simple but I kinda like it.

#227 - Bullfinch Oldstyle -  another in the R. Plowman style with all the text coming from my fabulous type book, magazine bird and pattern paper.

#228 - Cried  - grid format using pieces of my gelli print attempts (2" sq each), text cut from the type book scraps - it's the only word I could make with the various letters left over from other projects :)

#229 - Mail Art  - two postcards I made for the MMSA tree theme swap; the palm tree green is stamped tissue paper and the circle tree is from a vintage atlas I picked up.

Hope you have beautiful weather, time to relax AND time to art this long weekend (in the US anyway).

camping

As I mentioned earlier, Dan and I went on our annual camping trip with friends.  We've gone with the same couple for 15 years or more and every once in awhile another couple will join us.  This year we camped at the foot of Mt. St. Helens - you know, the volcano that blew up in 1980.  Somehow even though it's only a couple hours away, we'd never made it down to see any of the changes or visitor center, etc.  So this year's trip was part relaxing with friends and part educational.

It was drizzling when we arrived at the campground so the first order of business was to cover the picnic table so it didn't get any more wet.  Here are the guys attempting to set up the dining tent.  That's Dan inside the tent being the center pole! (that's what happens when you're tall! :)  And, of course that's me, relaxing with a drink and watching the entertainment.

The state-wide burning ban was lifted so we enjoyed our time around the campfire, played games, read our books, napped, ate and drank and ate some more.  

Intrepid campers. (hikers?!)

Dan took this one of some pod-thing in the water and I love the abstract nature of it.....inspiration for an art work I think.....

Hiked Lava Canyon - Dan on the suspension bridge.  - view from the bridge

The mountain from the Johnstone observatory - you can see the lava dome building in the center of the blown out area; you can see the general path of the monstrous mud slide and after 30 years, you can see the beginning of the return of the plant life.

The observatory has a good 15 minute film about the eruption and at the end, the screen rises and this view is exposed.  Stunning.  If you're ever in the area, it's definitely worth the stop!

Mt. St. Helens.

365 in 2013: #219 - 224

Catching up on my 365 collages:

#219 - Lovin' Wine - gifted papers, book cover, cardboard heart

#220 - Little Girl Smiles - vintage swapped papers, pattern, vintage photo

#221 - Riverview School - strips cut from thrifted greeting cards stitched in place

#222 - Greetings in Pieces - cut pieces from thrifted greeting cards

#223 - Camping - ephemera from our camping trip

#224 - Coconut Order - gifted vintage papers, washi on blue cardstock (maybe a bit bright)

Still loving' this process and playing with all my papers.....the hardest part is deciding which ones to cut or tear up.....they're all so pretty or special or unusual......but then the best way to 'save' them is to use them and enjoy them in a finished piece, right?  Constructive criticism always appreciated - I want to improve and am totally willing to hear your suggestions or critiques. :)

round robin

I'm so excited to be participating in my first ever round robin journal.  Leslie at One Woman's Hands started/is hosting and here's the peek at mine.  There are few constraints (except to finish and mail on time each month!) - each contributor will complete two double page layouts in every book.  

I wanted to try a new binding way, so made my journal with a combination of bristol paper and watercolor paper.  My "theme" is a return to one of my favorite topics: quotes.  Here's my cover - the embellishment is a link from a belt I had Dan cut apart.

Here's my binding - it turned out pretty well (only one page slipped in the gluing process).

Inside page with one of my fave quotes to set the tone.

I wanted a place where people could "sign in" and autograph their participation so I made a pocket for tags.

Open to see front and back and below is the book standing up.....cut a few shaped pages just for fun.

I sent the book on its way before I left for camping and I'm eagerly awaiting my first journal to work in.....

Other than my journal (which took quite a bit of problem solving time!) I've been making mail art and sending it out into the world and working slowly, oh so slowly on a couple of mixed media pieces.  My 365 collages have taken a bit of a back seat but I'm looking forward to playing catch up this weekend!  Stay tuned.

Terrie

July mosaic

I made a mosaic for my July ICADs but didn't think about it for my 365 collages until just today!  So, here it is, a months worth of collaging (courtesy of Big Huge Labs).

I have to say, my collage collection box is filling right up!  And what a journey to go back through and see the quantity of collages - some great, some not-so-great and most are just okay.  This is a practice I think I'll keep!  And it all started with Hanna - THANKS!

365 in 2013: #211 -

I had such a productive weekend - for a change my energy, time, and muse all showed up at the same time....how often does that happen????  I'm showing my 365 collages catch up......

#211 - Listen to Dreams - using some papers from swaps and sending it out as mail art

#212 - Nourish Your Mind;  another collage using swapped papers and a calendar piece from my 1928 type book (going out as mail art)

#213 - Books;  using type & parts of pages from the 1928 type reference book (love that book!) (going out as mail art)

#214 - Noisy  - though hard to see, this one is rich in textures and obviously very neutral....I tried darkening the contrast so you could see some of the texture which is why the cardboard at the top is so dark - it really isn't.

#215 - Circles of Calm  - gelli papers, dots and circles and cutouts on a piece of manila folder

#216 - Diamond in the Rough  - I love working on black - I had a couple of bits of gifted & swapped papers that I wanted to feature

#217 - Waiting  - cut the size above in half for 2 more black collages again using gifted papers (white) and shiny silver (the inside of a Christmas card envelope)

#218 - Folded Apples  - the white strip is accordion folded to stand out from the page....looks cool

Will be back in a few days to show you the rest......we're going camping this week so will be out of touch a few days but hopefully will come home with some fresh ideas for some more natural collages......

gelli play

.

I haven't used my gelli plate in a while so after browsing pinterest ideas for awhile, I got it out to try again. These are my best efforts from that play time - I'm really struggling with the whole layering process and how to purposefully achieve a specific layered look.

This one is the closest I've come to figuring out how to use masks - still SO much to figure out.

My layers in this one were less clear but when I spritzed the white on, I suddenly liked it lots better.

Sharing my efforts with others at Carolyn's August Gelli party.