Another step toward the dream...and WOYWW!

Happy belated WOYWW and Thanksgiving!

 

I know I'm late! I just decided to participate and rejoin the artistic community. My dear hubby went home to be with the Lord on November 19 and six of my seven children have been here for the funeral. They are all so supportive and such a blessing! I'm trying to get back to something that feels more normal after months of hospitals and nursing homes. I know my husband and best friend of 33 years is in heaven-healed and enjoying the company of his Lord and all those family members and friends who went before him.

 

I don't have a desk picture because Blogger seems to be having trouble uploading pictures from my computer!

 

I just purchased this book to help me in my painting journey. I've come to the conclusion that I like to draw and paint animals and nature, so I'm going to concentrate on that. My son suggested finding someone who purchases stock illustrations. I'm also exploring places to purchase artist grade watercolors and brushes that I can actually afford. I probably need to get some good materials if I'm going to think about selling stuff.

 

 

 

Anyway, just a step! It may be a long journey, but that's part of the fun! I'm hoping that I'll be able to semi-retire (read that "work part-time") in 3 years (when I turn 60) and have more time for this, but I'm going to make a start.

 

Working on some ATC's featuring birds. I'm going to give myself the assignment of doing ATC swaps that include animals for more practice. As a single person now I have to keep after myself so I don't just sit and watch TV. I'm finding that I actually enjoy turning it off and reading or doing art.

 

Time to learn to get out of my introvert box. I'm going to try to spend some time helping my daughter find some resources to learn more about photography, which is her dream. I also have a couple of  friends who have also lost their husbands in the last few years who may want to visit back-and-forth, though I don't want to spend too much time concentrating on "being a widow". God has things for me to do that don't revolve around that, but we can support each other and encourage each other in new dreams.

 

God bless you all and hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

 

To see some fabulous work spaces go to  Julia's Stamping Ground blog!

WOYWW!

Sorry, I missed last week! It was sort of hectic at work and I didn't have much oomph left for anything. But here I am, ready to visit desks around the globe as a partaker of the merriment in that thing which we like to call What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday!

To keep it short and sweet, here is my desk today. I've been painting watercolor ATC's of fruits and veggies for a swap. The four on the left just need some ink details before mailing. ATC's are about the only art I do these days. I think it's good practice for something bigger eventually.

I also received two great ATC's this week. The one in the upper right was from Linda at ATC's for All. Isn't it glorious? The one in the lower left corner is from Peggy at PeggyAplseeds, which was made for the WOYWW4 celebration. So pretty! You can see closer photos in my previous post.

I've been having a great day off drawing and painting. What could be better than that? I hope everyone has a great WOYWW. Have fun visiting desks all over this spinny ball we call Earth.

P.S.-I didn't actually get linked up to WOYWW this week. Oh well...I guess I'm playing by myself!

Shalom!

WOYWW!

Wow! The weeks are flying past so quickly! Which means that our LIVES are flying past quickly. Which begs the question, am I ready for what comes after this? Yes, I do wax philosophical sometimes when I stop and really think about how the days are speeding on.  I love to see my workday speed by, but I'd like the home time to SLOW DOWN.

Anyway, here are my two desks today.

I'm working on a new swap which has a honeybee theme. Since I learn by trial and error I'm trying out various combos on the slick paper I'm gluing to my ATC. I took a sample piece of the slick paper and applied some Gesso to it... (well, actually this is the side without Gesso)

I asked many questions. Does watercolor work on it? Nope. Does pen? Yes. Does the pen work on Gesso? Yes. Does the pen work on top of colored pencil? Not so much. Etc, ad nauseum until I had copious notes on each combination. Now this is elementary stuff to all you collagers out there, but to me, one who almost exclusively does watercolor on watercolor paper, it's a mystery how all of these materials act with one another. So...I'm learning! (See copious notes below.)

 

And something you'll rarely see on my desk...a large jar of Gesso. Maybe I'll use it more often after this.

 

 

So, I have lots of ideas dealing with bees. I'll keep you posted!  If you want to visit more exciting desks like mine (cough) go to Julia's Stamping Ground blog and hit the links!

Happy summer and much shalom to each of you!

WOYWW! (even though it's Tuesday!)

Day off!!! We are having fun playing in the sun today. It's been so cold and rainy this spring and summer that many of us are just getting out to plant our gardens. Hoping for a long fall! Planting the garden and working in the yard is our favorite play. I should incorporate some of that into my art!

Anyway, here is my desk for WOYWW. I'm working on some MOO's for a swap. In case you don't know, MOO's are little cards that measure 1" x 2.75". This particular swap calls for making them into bookmarks. You can see the beads on the right that I'm going to use at some point. (Wish I was more creative with collage!)

 

BTW, here are the MOO's in their finished state...

 



I hope the beads don't make them too bulky in the mail! (The moderator okayed them.)

Although I mentioned it in my previous post, here again is the ATC I received from Heather for the WOYWW-4 swap. Love it! (And the beautiful card that came with it!)

So, if you want to peep around other desks worldwide please go to Julia's Stamping Ground and follow the list o' links!

Shalom all and have a sunny summer!

An envelope from across the pond!

When I got home from work tonight there was a suspicious looking envelope on the counter...

I was a little puzzled because, although I'm involved in several ATC swaps, I wasn't expecting any cards this soon. I guess I had kind of forgotten one very special ATC swap!

WOYWW!!!

Heather, of Algera Designs, really knows how to build the suspense! Okay...what's in side?

 

A GORGEOUS card!

 

 

Inside that...a little package...and a wonderful note from Heather. Yes, your package arrived safely in the U.S. and is much treasured by this WOYWWer!

 

 

Ta-dah!! A beautiful ATC full of wonderful blingyness!

 

 

Your ATC is only the second I've ever received! It now has a place of honor in my ATC notebook.

 

 

And your card graces my bookshelves...

 

 

Thanks so much for all of the creativity you put into this beautiful gift! It is exciting to have a little piece of England here in my home. Thanks again, Heather! :)

 

Shalom!

 

 

WOYWW!

So, I hear that one of my WOYWW-4 ATC's has reached it's destination! Hope you enjoyed it Robyn! :)  When I receive mine I'll be sure to post pictures! How exciting!

Welcome back to my desk where I'm working on ATC's for a swap called Watercolor Trees. Right up my alley since I love trees and watercolors, TAH-DAH!  The ATC's are in the lower right of the picture.

On my computer wallpaper you will find the model for one of my ATC's. I have a fascination with pollarded willows. Go figure! My bookshelves in the background are becoming a gathering place for photos of kids, cards from them and my mom and all sorts of odds and ends that give me joy when I look at them.

 

This is an old book I bought recently from the library book sale. It's quite interesting and I'm hoping to learn something about mixing colors and coming up with the right one!

 



I just learned that my daughter has a walking/skating friend who has an Etsy shop and blog! I'd love to learn more about selling art. Have any of you had success selling through your Etsy shop? Any advice would be wonderful! This gal's blog is called Dancing Fork.  I'm sure she wouldn't mind me giving her some free advertising!

Addendum: After some playing with my watercolors this is what my four ATC's look like...so far. They still need some tweaking with pen...

 

 

 

Anyway, have a swell time visiting desks and blogs around the blogging universe. You are all an inspiration! To join the fun go to Julia's Stamping Ground blog!

Shalom!

Getting organized and making a few "cover" cards...

The whole ATC trading game has my head spinning a little just keeping track of cards being sent out and those I will be receiving sometime in the future. What to do? Get organized!

First of all a three-ring binder must be sought out. This one may look familiar. It has had many uses over the years, but hopefully it will help me keep track of things for years to come!

But what's inside? Aha... The front pocket holds some precut ATC cards, a baggy of plastic card sleeves and a little card containing my log in info for the ATC's for All website. The first page of plastic card protectors contains cards I've made for one-on-one trading. Not many...yet. The card you see in the top middle slot is actually on the second page and is one I'm working on for a group swap.

 

 

After the pages for cards to swap and cards received I have a few page protectors for lists of "Cards Sent Out"...

and "Cards I'm Expecting".  On these two pages I can keep track of swaps and I have checklists to be sure I don't forget to give itrader points or reputation points to other players and hosts. It also acts as a reminder of what I've done and how many of my cards are "out there" in the world at large. :)

 

 

After these pages I have a few pocket pages to hole odds and ends that have been scribbled on random pieces of paper. I have lots of that kind of stuff!

 

 

Since I had three ATC's to send off I decided to rev up the painting station (complete with roll of tissue for blotting) and make cover cards for the ATC's. Just a little extra protection in the mail and another excuse to make art!!

 

 

And here they are...

 



 

And here are the ATC's I'm working on for the "Books are Quotations" swap. I've done the collaging part and now I just have to print off the quotations to glue on each one. These were fun to do this afternoon!

 

 

 

 

 

And now they are safely ensconced in my ATC notebook until I can finish them...

 





So, that's what I've been doing this morning/afternoon. Hope you're having a great day!

Shalom!

WOYWW! 4th Anniversary! Yippee!

I'm posting this a little early because I work late tonight, but I wanted to be prepared for the WOYWW ATC swap! Yippee!

My desk doesn't look too messy. I've been working on ATC's for a swap that's not due until August! That's so far away! (At least I hope the summer doesn't speed by!)

I'm not fancy. I'm using an old file folder as a surface for doing mod podging/gluing. Whatever works! My handy dandy notepad contains info for the swaps I'm involved in. Where's Waldo?  Um, I mean, can you find the WOYWW button? Yup, he's still  hangin' around.

This is my watercolor "station" for the moment. I'm assuming we aren't supposed to post pics of the ATC's we're sending out to fellow WOYWWers. (Oh, wait! I see others are showing their cards! So here are mine!)

 

 

I think the second card is spoken for. This will be a lot of fun! Waiting in suspense for my card!

Have fun gawking at desks all around the globe at Julia's Stamping Ground!

Shalom!

WOYWW?

Late getting here, but at least I made it, lol!

Just a few ATC's for the latest swap. I think I'm going to make a cute envelope for them out of a hymnal page or some other text. Gotta get them mailed tomorrow! (This is how your desk looks when your only tools are colored pencils, pens and watercolors!)

To the left...

I need to get into the Word more. I need fresh inspiration for my art and that's the direction I need to go!

Have fun trotting around the globe admiring desks! You can follow the links over at Julia's Stamping Ground! :D

WOYWW!

Thanks for dropping by to see what's up on my desk for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!
It's been a LONG day, so I haven't played at my desk today, but here's where I left it yesterday.
These are some ATC's I'm doing for the Self-Portrait swap at ATC's For All. They're supposed to show some of my interests, and hopefully don't have to actually look like me!

My desk...

and a close-up of the ATC's...

On my slant-top desk you'll find a sketchbook in which I'm jotting down some zentangle patterns...

It's late and I'm ex-HAUSTED, so I'll make this short and sweet as per Julia's instructions. You can find a list of more desks to visit at her blog called The Stamping Ground. Take a virtual world tour and have fun peering at desks! ;)

Shalom!

WOYWW?

It's late, so this will be a quickie! :)

I'm still working on the Earth Day zentangle for the Diva's Weekly Challenge. As usual, it takes me quite a bit of time just looking up tangles and deciding what to use...

Here's where I jot down all of the possibilities...

And here's my main desk. Still a mess from my last watercolor painting. The Bible is for looking up a scripture that I may incorporate into my zentangle. Earth Day will be long gone before I'm finished, but I didn't want to rush through this. So many ideas, so little time!

I hope you all have fun looking at workdesks the world over! To find the links go to Julia's blog and start hopping! :)

Nighty-night and peace to all!