For the last few months I have been "sew" single minded in the studio. My focus of late has been working on many of my art quilting projects, and making items for my Etsy store. And while it was nice to take a creative break from doing any art journaling or mixed media art, I didn't realize how much I had missed it until I got the e-mail about iHanna's spring DIY postcard swap. I always look forward to the swap because it gives me a chance to experiment creatively and share my discoveries with others. And the best part is that in return I get wonderful postcards from others which always delight and inspire me. I received so many wonderful cards from all over the world this swap and I am looking forward to sharing those with you in my next post.
First though I thought I would share the postcards I created for the swap. My approach to this swap, as was to the last swap, was to work on my collage art. I love collage. I love combining imagery in layers and how in doing so it can convey hidden in "plain sight" meaning and message. And what I especially love about collage is the ease in which I can drop in and out of creating one without worrying about being able to pick up where I left off in the creative flow. Too many times when I am ready to sit down and art journal, my brain gets in the way of the creative process. Thinking and planning a journaling layout for me often creates a mental and creative block to getting anything done on the page. With collage there is no thinking or planning, just layering.
So onto the cards:
The above was the first card I made. And after I finished making it I photographed it, which I did after every card I made for the swap. I learned from quilting that sometimes your perspective is skewed by looking down at something lying on a table. In quilting when dealing with larger applique pieces that are still in progress and cannot be hung on a design wall, taking a photo of the piece often gives you a different perspective that can be valuable in your layout. It also helps you to make observations in a general sense on how your work is progressing, or analyze things you have already done. In looking at the photos of the cards I made I began to see trends in my work. Here is what I observed (in no particular order):
Observation 1 - I mostly work with images and backgrounds in pastel or brighter colors.
Observation 2 - I use a lot of vintage imagery that is thought provoking.
Observation 3 - I usually include a message.
Observation 4 - I use a lot of little scraps.
Observation 5 - I do a lot of detail cutting.
Observation 6 - My cards almost always have a very decidedly feminine feel.
Observation 7 - I love to use a script stamp on backgrounds or incorporate them on little scraps.
Observation 8 - I almost always include flowers, butterflies or birds.
I hope you enjoyed looking at my cards. Feel free to leave your comments, they are always appreciated. Look for my next blog post coming soon on the cards I received for the postcard swap.
Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Creating!
