The Colors of Japan: Geisha

One altered image collage, and one completely hand-painted card. I don't do those very often, but I was inspired by my partner's profile. :)

Text and Collage Swap: ATCsforall.com

This site is set up a bit differently- the swap was 3 for 3, and I made an extra card for the host. (On this site, you mail all cards to the host, who then redistributes them to the participants, usually based on skill or effort. You also pay for return postage, which keeps everyone honest, and usually weeds out the sticker slappers!)

Steampunk ATC

This is probably my favorite creation in the last month or so...I was almost tempted to keep it for myself! :)

I honestly can't remember where that little key came from....and I nearly lost a finger cutting the clock face in half. It's now safely covered in tacky-glue, nailpolish,  cardstock, and paper along the edge....just don't try taking it apart. It's hazardous to your limbs. 

I don't know why there's a bunny. Maybe he's a Victorian bunny.

Personality ATC

So, the idea of this swap was to create an ATC that reflects your own personality, and send it to your partner. I am a lot of things...but probably my most hilarious attribute (besides my clothes...) is my contradictory love for all things nature, and all things big city. So, my card explores this irony...with a little morbid humor.

Fairytale Penpal

So, for this swap, you write a story, make up a character, and then write to a partner's character as yours. For this one, I wrote as the roving vampiric spirit in the Necronomicon (apparently a bunch of hogwash that was not even remotely Sumerian...according to scholars of the era...but nonetheless interesting to me as an angsty teenager back in the day...lol)

I made a "talisman" to accompany my letter, from clip art I actually got from a metal band's website...I'm sure it looks all nice and evil though...I wonder if my swap partner burned it or imediately chucked in into the trash can?? lol...anyway, here it is:

The seal of Akhkharu! Not...lol

Oddities

I created a series of three ATCs for a swap titled "Oddities", not knowing when I signed up that Oddities is a T.V. show....clearly I don't watch much television. What a cool idea....I really really wanna open up my own creepy antique store now. I think I'd be just as good at it, though I dunno about dealing with creepy customers like straight-jacket guy in episode one....and if the guy with the mummified cat had made it meooooowwwwl one more time, I woulda kicked him.

Oddities: In order of Creation...that sounds kinda religious....?

I have a tendency to want to put something on the card in the upper left-hand corner...it's kinda my trademark, though I don't always stick to it. Sometimes I just don't wanna put a hole in the card lol

These were just basic collages, nothing really hand-drawn or massively altered- unless you count the use of antique-ing gold paint to age some stuff like the tags and edges. The dried flower came from my neighbor's bushes....they drop petals all over the sidewalk on the way to the mailboxes...it's beautiful and almost reminds me of cherry blossoms (though those sadly do not grow well in Houston...). She has roses too....I'm jealous. :)

Kawaii and Circus/Carnival

I was on a textured paper rampage earlier this week- My preferred method of artistry is collage or altered images (though I do also paint- it's just difficult to do with four pets running around!) but I also really enjoy layered paper effects- as in, creating images out of blank paper cutouts (not die cuts)- you'll see what I mean below. :)

This is a card I did for a swap I hosted "Kawaii ATC":

Nothing drawn on, just cut out pieces of textured paper and layered them to create an image. (And I stuck a little good luck medallion on there cuz it's cute...I do not know what the Kanji stands for, but it said "good luck coin" on the package. Who knows...maybe it says fried chicken.

And I also put together some scrapbook embellishments with cardstock and fiber paper, inspired by some jolee's stuff I saw online. (Wish I could afford those darn things!!)

"Send me this Smashing Theme: Circus/Carnival":

Look look, I wrapped them up and they almost look store bought lol....I love paper crafting! Gosh darn stupid flags were a pain in the butt, and the lion's eyes are crooked, but oh well! He's got character :P (Crybaby reference...:)

Introduction!

So, it occurs to me that, on an art swap site, it might be good to have photos of my work online somewhere. I'm new to this blog thing, so forgive me if I can't format worth a damn, or my entries are choppy and un-organized.

Most of what I post here will be from Swap-bot.com, but I may post other art works as well from time to time- you can get an idea of things I do that don't fit in an envelope! :)

I'll start with posting my most recent creation and go from there! Wish me luck haha

Alice in Wonderland ATC series #1: Alice

This card was inspired by an original vintage drawing from the book, pre-Disney. Each color was trimmed from one of 11 different pieces of textured/patterened paper and arranged into the layout of the original clip art, and then all details were drawn on by hand with a fine tipped drawing pen. Nothing was printed on! This one took me near 3 hours to complete, thanks to not knowing where my exacto knife is and having to use chunky scissors...lol...it was very tedious, but turned out great. ( And I just got this tiny plastic easel to display them on for photos...isn't it cute? :P)

I also realize my deodorant is sideways on the table behind it...and kinda resembles a dildo....wth...degree motion sense! has a whole new meaning now....lmao