ATC!! ATC!!! ATC!!! ADDICT!!!!

I know I've been away for a bit, but not because I was doing nothing. Lately I have been hosting and joining a few ATC (Artist Trading Card) Swaps, and haven't gotten around to posting anything to the blog. So here is some "Eye Candy" of some recent ATC's I've done.

I recently hosted a FREE R-I-D-E ATC swap. The RIDE stands for Rubber Stamps, Image Transfer, Doodle, & Ephemera. The requirements of the swap were to incorporate all 4 techniques into one card. It was meant to be a challenge.

"Mystery Writer"

"Where Ideas Become Art"
~

Mrs. Gills shown here, was an ATC I did for the imfamous AnnD's ATC That Girl Ain't Right Swap. Mrs. Gills should have listened to her mother when she told her, "If you keep making that face it's going to stay that way forever!"

"Mrs. Gills"
~

This Cute little Owl was a PIF ATC for my Friend Julie. She requested one of my whimsy owls.

These last two ATC's I did for a Mermaids & Friends Swap at atcsforall.com I can particularly relate to the bottom more Rubenesque one. ;)
"Prom Date"

"Swim Lessons with Sardines"

My kind of Zettiology ATC's!

"Baby Alice"

2.5" X 3.5" ATC

I am finally getting back into my ATC (Artist Trading Card) making and it feels GOOOOOOD!!

These are a few I just finished for a Zetti ATC Swap at Artforall.com.

"Best Buddies"

2.5" X 3.5" ATC

"Baby Face"

2.5" X 3.5" ATC

"I Don't Know Why She Swallowed The Bird. How Absurd!"
2.5" X 3.5" ATC

Getting Settled In Our New Arizona Home!

Sorry I have been away for so long, but I've been a busy lady moving and packing and unpacking, etc. into the new digs in Arizona! So far we are loving it here. And I am really enjoying getting to meet and hang out with some art friends here in AZ.

I have dabbled a little here and there, but haven't got any pictures yet. Just finished up two moleskine journal spreads for a Moley Art Exchange I'm doing.

Promise to get back in the blogging saddle soon. Should have some yum-tastic eye candy for your viewing pleasure in no time!
TTFN
Trina

Happy Valentines Day!

Have Fun & Happy Valentines Day!

Just click on the image and it should open up to a

larger jpg. file that you can copy and paste.

I've been playing in a Collage-A-Thon this weekend over at atcsforall.com and found myself in need of some new collage images. So I decided to see what I could throw together on my own. This is my very first collage sheet. I've been having fun with it and I hope you do to, because it is my Valentines to you! If you use any of it, I would love to see what you come up with. Just shoot me an email, or share a link to your image.

Grunge Valentines ~ Mixed Media Hearts

"My Grungy Valentine"

6" X 6" Flat Canvas

A while back I was messing around with some acrylic backgrounds. Mostly just experimenting with various objects to create textured effects to the backgrounds. These have been sitting around for a few months with no real plan to do anything with them. Then yesterday, I decided I wanted to make some oil pastel hearts, which I haven't done in ages, and just grabbed these old backgrounds. Then BAZINGA ~ Grunge Hearts everywhere!!

Grunge Hearts 1 & 2

2.5" X 3.5" Flat Canvas (ATC)

Grunge Hearts 3 & 4
2.5" X 3.5" Flat Canvas (ATC)

Junque Journals!! Who Knew!?!

So, I was recently turned on to Junque Journaling. If your new to the idea, my understanding of a junque journal is that it's just a fancy name for a book of "junk" that you just can't part with, or might have a slight sentimental attachment to, or just aren't sure what else to do with it! My kids, God love 'em, are ALWAYS making me little treasures to have and to hold for EVER! Now I finally have a place to put all those little treasures and trinkets they offer.

A junque journal is great for concert tickets, Chinese cookie fortunes, receipts, canceled stamps from around the world, collage bits you just can't part with or bring yourself to use on anything, wine labels of your new favorite wine, beer labels from your favorite beer, miscellaneous doodles or sketches, favorite quotes of the day, a silly joke your kids made up, ANYTHING GOES!!! And the beauty of it is... it doesn't have to be beautiful! You can make it as junky, or arty, or crafty, or plain and simple as you wish! It's your book of treasures (aka - junk), do with it as you wish!

Some pointers I learned: Use one of those basic B&W composition books you can get at Wally-World for under a dollar. Add narrow ribbons along the spine, randomly throughout the book for extra support on the spine and for Glam! crinkle up various pages and ink them up with 2-3 colors of ink for pizazz! And best of all, glue all sorts of scrap pages you have piled up from your scrap booking days, and slap on some stickers, or a LOT of stickers and use those up as well!

Not only did I have a fun afternoon creating these with my kiddo's, but I put a SERIOUS dent in my scrap paper and sticker stash! YAY!!! Now, all I need is to start doing fun things so I have treasures to add to the junque journal! ha ha

Start With Art!

So my New Years Resolution for 2011 is to start each day with ART! Whether it be a doodle, a journal entry, an ATC, or a quick sketch, I plan to start each day doing a little something artistic. It doesn't matter if it's only for 10 minutes while I drink my morning Earl Grey, or if I'm lucky enough to sneak in an hour or two before the family wakes up! Each day will start with ART!!!

Here are a few of the things I've done so far.

"Love Life"

12" x 8" journal page
1-3-11

"Circus Elephant"

5" x 5" Canvas

1-2-11

"Bird Girl "

Standard ATC
1-1-11

I also hope to be a better blogger, and post regularly, but I'm not making any promises. ha