ATC'S update- Home series

I thought I'd post the bases of my new series of Artist Trading Cards called 'Home'. I'm not nearly finished them and may possibly do a couple of different ranges with this theme, but here is the start. I'm mainly using 'Basic Grey- Stella Ruby' range of papers, plus various scraps. I'll finish them tomorrow and post the finished pieces soon. I don't know about you but I love watching other peoples work in progress!

This is another mixed media/textile picture that I completed recently. I'm begining to think I've kind of got a 'style' of work that I do, but nothing is ever planned. My pieces always turn out alot brighter and 'fun' than I plan. Sometimes it's very annoying especially when that's not what I set out to achieve. All that said, I am pleased with this piece of work all the same.

Well I had a nice busy day today. I worked alot more on my 'HOME' themed, artist trading cards. They are coming on really cute, but my best achievement was completing another one of my mixed media textiles pieces that has been lying around as a scrap of fabric for ages. I even attempted to mount it onto canvas but I hesitated because I am not sure of the background coloue (gun metal grey).

Let me know what you think- should I change the backing to white canvas? Normally that is what I'd choose.

Either way I'm only playing around with fabric scraps- nothing serious :) although I did title it 'Midnight in the Garden'.

I'm quite excited about a new artist trading card swap that I'm taking part in with a group of ladies on a website chat forum that I frequent- http://www.craftsupplies.ie/

If you want to check it out, go to the site, click onto chat. Register and then your in. Fantastic inspiration for scrapbooking, atc's, papercrafts, cardmaking etc. The swap I'm involved in requires us to make a minimum of 4 cards with the word 'HOME' on it. That is one letter per card. I'm going to get started right now, but thought I would quickly update my blog and add a few new pics.

This is a textiles mixed media collage mounted onto canvas. It's titled 'City Lights'. Hope you like it??

Artist Trading Cards

Well today I excitedly attempted my first series of atc's. I had so much fun and after alot of anticipation, I actually found it much easier to complete my little series of 6 cards than I had originally thought.

Together the 6 cards spell AUTUMN. They are made mainly of gorgeous Basic Grey papers, stickers, buttons, metal motifs and some hand drawn details.

I am pleased with the result. I hope to get better at them and have loads of ideas for the next ones already...my head is about to explode :)

Let me know what you guys think?

Snow moon

This is what I see when I look up at the night sky during the cold dark Dublin winter. Reflections from the moon and dark curious shadows.

Although it is summer here in Dublin now, you wouldn't know it. The sun has hardly come out to shine and the ground is still wet from all the rain.

'Where oh where has the summer gone?', I ask as I listen to the pitter patter of the rain on the rooftop outside my bedroom window.
It feels like the winter is endless and there are no seasons at all.
Very Mystical indeed?

It's been a while...

I haven't posted in quite some time...well actually I had a good few pictures up here of 'ideas' for my wedding dress, but took them down before any of my friends came across them. I want it to be a surprise. So it looks like I haven't posted since may- but really I had.

Anyway, not alot of art getting done at the moment. Although I'm itching to create! I recently restored an old wooden dining table for our new apartment that we should be moving into by the end of the year. I must say it looks great, but I failed to take any 'before' and 'after' photos :(

I've recently gotten into learning more about Artist Trading Cards or atc's as they are commonly referred to as. The are small deck of card sized pieces of art, scrapping, stamping, textiles, collage- anything you like really. They normally are done in a smallish series of about 6 I think. Anyway, I can't wait to start my first collection and I will post them as soon as I've finished them.

For now...here is a photo of another one of my textile pieces.

London, West End

I'm afraid it's been a while since my last post...apologies.

I'm just back from a cool trip to London where I got to see a whole load of new sights. What a well kept city. Everything appears very groomed for the tourist eye but I had a ball all the same. The Underground is amazing too- it transports 300 000 people to and from London everyday. That's a massive amount of people compared to where I'm from.

Here are some holiday snaps.

Lucky me!

Recently I've been off from work because I burnt my arm quite badly with a boiling hot mug of green tea...it's the cats fault but anyway! When I returned back to work, after a good week and a half away, my work friends had bought some beautiful gifts for me. I'm so lucky to have such kind people to work with.

As you can see from above, they bought me this amazingly beautiful orchid, which I've placed on our mantle piece in the parlour. Isn't it a gorgeous colour? Little did they know that when I get married later in the year, the flowers that will be decorating our tables will be orchids. Even look at the cute bowl/pot it is sitting in. How oriental.

The second gift I received was from my friend Jonathan. He bought me some really adorable hand towels with fantastic embellishments on them. One says- Domestic Goddess in Disguise. Hehehe... it is so cute. The other says- I love Chocolate. It has the cutest little chocolate cup cakes and sweets on it.

Ah the Joy! Don't I feel special!

Textile sample

Sometimes, old forgotten peices of work can become new inspiration when viewed with fresh eyes. This is a textile sample from my college days which I really disliked. I by no means love it now, but I'm not sick at the sight of it like I used to be. In fact...it has actually started a few ideas floating around in my head.

Well...as you can see by the time on this post, attempting to blog early in the morning hasn't really happened. First thing I do when I get up in the morning is make a gorgeous piping hot mug of coffee. While I'm sipping this I like to be alone, no-one to listen or talk too, except my imagination slowly starting to warm up for the day. Ten minutes later I'm buzzing around the house as if I've been up for hours. I then jump on my treadmill for my religious one hour power walk, before getting showered and ready for a day at work. When I get home in the evening, I start preparing the dinner straight away, followed by a routine tidy up, another shower, then fall into bed. This is when I spend time on my laptop searching blogland and finding inspiration. I find that changing that routine somehow doesn't really work for me, hence why it's become my routine in the first place...Oh the comfort of a routine life...?!

Inspiration come early!

There are some truly amazingly talented artists in blogland...all are extremely inspiring to me. However the time of day that I tend to get onto my laptop and do a little bit of searching around is ALWAYS late at night!!! This is the worst time to get inspired and to get the ol' brain ticking because it means it will be another sleepless night where all I do is lay in bed, thinking of all these marvellous ideas. Of course, come sunrise I am far too exhausted to actually get up and start anything...least of all go off to work for the day.

*Yawn* I'm getting sleepy just thinking of yet another tiresome night.

That being said, I'm going to make the effort, from this moment onwards, not to do my arty research at night!! Please let me stick to this decision for the sake even of vanity. My dark under eye circles are becoming a 'feature' on my face. Yikes!

Why can't i wake up fresh to resemble this beauty???

New Years Resolution ???

This is somewhat of a very late New Years Resolution- to make myself more committed to producing artsy creations and etsy on a weekly basis. I thought if I made myself a blog that a few people would enjoy viewing then there would be a reason to keep on creating. My passions are textiles ( anything involving fabric), art journals, scrapbooking, collage, altered books and art. I have a million squillion inspirations, but sometimes I just love beautiful things...useful or not.