The Card Challenge - Part II

Some of my cards which I made to donate to the Cancer treatment center.

The Card Challenge

I have been accompanying my dear friend/sister to her cancer treatments. The hospital is so kind and thoughtful! Volunteers drop off knitted, crocheted and sewn hats, and the hospital helpers hand them out to every patient. Louise has an extensive wardrobe of them now.

Well, I sew and knit, but what I really like to do is make cards. So, for her last visit, I made 4 cards of 10 styles of Thank you cards. The volunteers seemed very pleased with them, and so, I am preparing another 40 cards for this visit. It's a great way to use up my stash and justify buying more! I have named it (very imaginatively) "The Card Challenge".

I urge you to do something similar for the health centre in your community. It is shocking to see how many people receive treatment in a day. Then times that by 5 day, then 52 weeks -- and that is just one community! And only adults -- there is a separate hospital for children with cancer. Staggering. Anything you can do to ease the life of these people is time well spent.

The New Studio - addition

I recently acquired a Scor-it tool, and a new paper cutter. But I had to use them on the floor or a chair or the spare bed because I had no proper place. So, I have rearranged some of my shelf contents, and now have 3 work surfaces: one shelf has the trimmer and the Scor-it. The centre table is a drafting table that I stamp on, and the 3rd shelf holds my Big Shot.

And now that my work moves so smoothly, I am able to create this card for my friend Louise's birthday!

The New Studio

Over a period of a very fast week, I: emptied my oldest son's bedroom, primed, painted, painted again, painted trim, painted that again, moved in my shelves full of "stuff", set up a bed, and cleaned up the room I used to be in. Whew! But you know, it was just the thing to do. I had been feeling blocked artistically. Doing something that is not art, but still serving my art freed me up. That, and cleaning up my junk, because I got inspired all over again.

So, when stuck, redecorate?

Top three photos: My old space, with my crowded desk. No matter how much I clean up, I seem to only ever have 6" worth of space for work!
Last two photos: The room was a deep tropical turquoise. I wanted robin's egg blue. The colour I chose wasn't quite right, so I added some black acrylic paint to grunge it up. Good, but now too green. So, some phthalo blue jumped in the mix. I am happy with the result, but will never be able to do touch ups! The trim is a creamy caramel.
I'm still using my old Ikea Ivar shelving. Holds a ton o' stuff, is inexpensive, and can be packed up if necessary.

Day Three

It took some playing, and reacquainting myself with Flickr, but I have created a slide show. Ans somehow, a second slideshow of someone else's photos! Wish they were mine -- they are lovely -- but they aren't! Ignore them for now!

Day Two

So, there are still lots of things to find out about this blogging business. How to get a list of my favourite websites (so you can enjoy them, too), and how to get a slide show of my ATCs running ... So when I am not making art, I can tweak my blog!

I want to tell you about the ATC that is featured on my blog. It is called, "War Bride", and I created it for an exchange that I joined through Splitcoast Stampers. I created using one of my favourite techniques. I wanted a vintage look, and I wanted the background to look as if it were a piece of old, blackened metal. First, I stamped all over the cardstock with a large fleur-de-lis stamp in a mid grey. Then, I rubbed an ink pad on my cutting mat, spritzed it with water, and wiped the stamped surface in the ink. The ink bubbles up, and when the paper hits it, it leaves a watercolour effect. I did that with black, turquoise and rust inks. When it dried, I rubbed the same colours of ink into the surface with sponge daubers. I distressed the edge with rust ink. I overstamped the paper with the sentiment, "Dream with your eyes wide open" (from Quietfire Designs).

The World War I nurse is my grandmother, Amy Whittaker, who left her family and emigrated to Canada to be with my grandfather, Dr. J. P.S Cathcart. She had been his nurse in hospital after he was wounded. I composed a marriage announcement, such as might be posted in her local newspaper, and joined them all together with a bit of antique lace and a t-pin.

What courage it took to turn your back on your comfortable, familiar life and create a new life in a new country with someone you don't know very well. I admire her spirit and her sense of adventure.

The Beginning

This is my first blog; my first post; my first time sharing my thoughts with all and sundry. I am growing and experiencing and celebrating my artistic side. I will share what I have created, and if appropriate, how I created it with you, my readers. I hope you enjoy the journey with me!