graphic 45 design team 2012 audition.

i am auditioning for a design team position for graphic 45 with this blog. i hope you enjoy the various projects created with their unique scrapbook papers. wish me luck!

this card was created with a word prompt of "rejuvenate" and the clowns were perfect for my analogy of the word.

i wanted to created layers with this 7x5 canvas and thought of the big top and all the magic that happens in the tent - hope you enjoyed the peek inside.

i was inspired by the loveliness of this tight rope walker
and wanted to give her a full dress and a cage full of butterflies to show off her beauty and grace.

i absolutely love paris, black and white, peacock feathers and eyes. this painted piece is done on a paper mache jewelry box.

i had a couple empty christmas card boxes with plastic lids left over this year and knew they would make great repurposed gifts. i created this dimensional pear to make you wonder what it is made of.

games, especially cards are a favorite of mine and well, anything from nature is a huge inspiration for my creative side. using this paper and designing a natural card for the wooden card box came very easy and i just love the results - want to play?

fairy tales.

this is my artistic contribution to the fly tribe's atc swap for march. since the theme is fairy tales, how could i resist, right? i actually used the same frog as my 12 days of christmas done in colored pencil only i gave him a lot more space this time. i added the heart and well, his wishful thinking that a girl is going to fall for his golden crown and reward him with a kiss - fat chance for that - but how much money are we talking, exactly? knew that would make you smile.

b mine, valentine?

i was experimenting with translucent yupo paper (the heart)
and loved working with colored pencils on its very smooth surface. the transparency lets the layers behind show through adding an extra dimension that i just love. i found scrapbook paper with words of adornment on them so decided to center the heart just under the word dearest and love that you don't really notice it until you study it for a while. the double ribbon was added because i wanted to give the left side equal weight to the large b block. i added a tissue paper flower and pearl brad to add a touch of rustic femininity to the piece. overall i am really pleased with the results and can't wait to try a couple more effects with the yupo paper.

meaning of art.

this is only part of a large canvas but it is the focal point. i love the written word and use book pages for my backgrounds in many of my mixed media pieces. i usually look for a word or phrase that i could create from. this one was a beauty and gave me all kinds of ideas. since i had just picked up the sweet paper lantern stamp in the dollar bin at michaels, i knew it would add instant charm to my dreamy vision. all the textures of the background just add layers of wonderment, a treat for the eyes really. but to me, they are the main delight because i love the challenge of making them work together as one. i used a charcoal pencil to give my title its spotlight but believe me, it would be up to you to discover it in the canvas. that's what it is about for me, making you see the details.

playful pieces.

i am on the hunt for vintage game pieces and came across this set up at old green shutters antiques. i loved the idea of the miscellaneous pieces being displayed in such a playful way, after all, cupcakes and games do go hand in hand :) 

i remember many hours of monopoly and to this day we play it and adjust the rules to make it a little more strategic. landlords that lend money and make you put up collateral, rent extended until you pass go, deals between people all written longhand and legally of course. isn't that what gaming is about, being inventive and using your imagination to unlock the what ifs in life. i often wonder what has become of my childhood friends and hope they look fondly at the hours we spent together stretching our minds with game playing. memories, we have them to treasure them don't you think? i know i appreciate mine each and every day. so grab your family and friends and make it game night once again!

love of the game.

i love games! love them! all games. big and small, long and short, easy or hard, there is not one favorite here. my love of games started on garfield street were the neighborhood gathered on a screened in porch to play for days on end. there was clue, sorry, monopoly, life and so much more and it shaped me into a person who thinks of the moves beforehand. now this is not always good because you can easily talk your way out of something. for me, it pushes me to see an outcome no matter what"s in store. i don't remember playing dominoes that much as a kid, but i love the game now. when was the last time you played a game, had some fun, shared some laughs and got strategic? hope it was yesterday!

make believe.

the words "make believe" remind me so much of the mr. rogers show and the little trolley car. am i showing my age right now or what? i always did love the adventures and playful worlds he took us to. i even wished for a puppet theatre like that, i would have been lost for hours on end - can you even imagine it yourself? so this little file card is in front of the stack today reminding me of its very important message - pretend, make believe and play. what more could you ask for? creativity, inspiration and the permission to be in the studio all day doing whatever you wanted. ahhh. thank you mr. rogers for letting my imagination run amuck for the hour you were on!