Thursday, December 28, 2006

An Old Year to reflect on...A New Year to celebrate!

This past year has brought many changes and challenges...
Reflecting on where I've been this past year and where I wish to go in the year ahead, I would have to say I've come a long way!
Last year at this time I wasn't sure where my art would lead...I made some plans and set some goals and am happy to say that several of my goals have been met this past year and a few more goals will be completed in the upcoming months!
I have also met some very special art friends that have become very near and dear!!!

Do any of you make New Year's Resolutions? I usually don't, or maybe I should I say I haven't in a very long while...
...I want to make a positive change toward my health this coming year ..First, I want to exercise more consistantly... second, watch what I eat a little closer...and third be a little more organized...
I thought if I posted this that it might somehow make me more accountable :0) ...

I am really looking forward to what this New Year brings!!!

I would love to hear from you and feel free to post your own New Year's Resolutions so that we may encourage one another and keep the friendship growing!!!

Many happy Blessings in the New Year...
Hugs,
Amber


...I am offering some ATC's on Ebay at end of the year clearance prices...if interested click on my Ebay "About Me" link off to the right and it will take you there :0) Thanks so much!

Friday, December 15, 2006

Time for a change



You might have noticed that I have changed the color of my Blog...
I wasn't satisfied with the other color...and every time I logged in, I just didn't get that welcome feeling...Sooo, I decided on blue...I hope you LIKE it and I think it will be a more inviting color to live with year 'round!

This is an altered postcard I made for a swap in my Paper Whimsy group using a
Paper Whimsy image....I started with a flash card base that says LIKE and added the german scrap bee and edged it in gold leaf pen...Sweet and simple!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

I've been tagged by Kat...6 weird things about me???!

Boy...to be perfectly honest here I would think that I fall under the STRANGE or DORKY catagory...But you may think I'm weird...so here it goes!!!

1.I absolutely will NOT eat tuna with tomatoes...it makes me physically ill...I think it has to do with a chemical reaction in my system or something but it is NASTY!!!!

2. I would rather organize than clean any day!!! I love to start a new project...my curiosity gets the best of me and before I know it I am sorting and organizing in a flurry...but put a duster in my hand and I freeze! It really drives DH crazy!!!!

3. Because I have red hair my eyelashes are almost non-existant without mascara...I never leave the house without it and only a handful of people have seen me without it on!...(they always stare and ask if I am feeling OK??!!) LOL

4.My hands are not pretty...I like to wear my fingernails short and often they are not manacured...I admire people who have beautiful nails and hands but by the time paint wedges itself under my nails or around the nail bed or glue glazes itself over my fingers...it just isn't a pretty sight!!!

5. I don't know when someone is being sarcastic with me...I guess you could say that I'm kind of gullible (at least that's what DH calls it)...I have kind of a straight forward personality and don't understand when someone is teasing me...I do have a great sense of humor though...just don't do sarcasm!

6. I twist my hair...when I'm especially tired or stressed...you will find me generally twisting my hair...(a habit from childhool I guess) ...I tend not to do it in public though, LOL!!!

I guess that's it...You can decide what you think of me :0) Hopefully you have found something that you can relate to... or smile at!!!

Thank you Kat, that was fun!!! Now who to tag next! I'll have to think about it and post them a little later :0)
OK I tag Lisa, Tejae, Rella, Gale and Cara

Monday, December 11, 2006

Make a snowflake



Remember when you were young and made paper snowflakes? They seemed so exciting...all the folding and cutting and then like magic a wonderful snowflake appeared before your eyes? We used to tape them to our windows and it just added such a warmth to our house peering through those little lacy creations...
Today my two son's and I found this interactive site that you can make digi-snowflakes...It's really quite addictive! http://http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/
My boys (and I) played around on the site for a while taking turns but they eventually wanted to get out the paper and scissors and make the "real" ones!
They are now decorating our windows and reminding me of the simple joys of being a child!!!

"Nature is full of genius, full of the Divinity, so that not a Snowflake escapes its fashioning hand"
Henry David Thoreau

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Random Act of Kindness


I received the most incredible RAK (random act of kindness) from a very talented artist Pamela Brackett... http://www.pamelabrackett.com/
Pamela very generously sent me this beautiful clay button ornament that she said she made from inspiration from an article in the new Somerset Studio Workshop 2 book.
Pamela you are an awesome artist...thank you so much for your wonderful gift!!!

Thursday, November 30, 2006

My art in Mirror Pond Gallery

I just got notice that my 2 altered art/assemblage pieces were accepted into the juried art show called Small Works Exhibit at Mirror Pond Gallery in Bend. http://www.mirrorpondgallery.org/exhibits.htm
This is the coolest gallery in town and I am honored to have been accepted.
They are having an artists reception along with an art walk on Friday night Dec. 1st . and I can't wait to be there :0) I forgot to take photos before I dropped off my pieces, so I will have my honey take some for me on Friday.
The show runs through January 2nd. Wish me luck!!!

Friday, November 03, 2006

ATC...Theme challenge: Crowns and Flowers

"What it is to be a child"
...an ATC using a Paper Whimsy image...The monthly lottery theme challenge is crowns and flowers...
I wanted to portray the innocence of
childhood...

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

I Love Artchix!



I entered the ArtChix Faux Winter postage contest (from the ArtChix Yahoo group)!!! My winning Faux postage ATC is #12 ... http://www.artchixstudio.com/mall/p311.asp

Here is more info. on the entries and the artists http://www.artchixstudio.com/mall/p311_info.asp

Also ArtChix is celebrating their 5th anniversary and here are some entries ( including 3 of mine )

http://www.artchixstudio.com/gallery/gfiveyear.htm

I really love contests and challenges and this was a really fun one!!!

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Altered and textured



The first textured paper was from a RAK/ game...
It called out to me to play...
I layered several different colors of green and turquois paint...
Plaster paste...
Metalic Lumiere paints and finally some walnut ink!
I really liked the way it turned out and will be using it in an assemblage that I plan to work on soon.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Twilight at Sea...altered post card


This is my current work...an altered post card with Artchix black swan wings and many layers of paint and embellishments...


SOLD, Thank you!

Sunday, September 24, 2006

HGTV's Shannon Quimby


Last weekend was a beautiful if not slightly chilly Autumn day and my husband, son and I headed down to Drake Park along the river to walk through the Antique Fair...
I found several special finds that I'm sure will show up in my art in a future project, but I think the most special thing that I found was a new acquaintence...At one of the booths was a very friendly and wonderfully creative person named Shannon Quimby...Shannon was at the Antique Fair to promote her new book and do a book signing...After a brief introduction, we realized that we had much in common and both loved to create...She was one of those kind of people that you wished lived next door or down the block so you could drop in and visit over a cup of tea and swap stories...It was a delight to meet her and before we left she signed a copy of my newly purchased book...Her book is called Color, Create, Decorate...She has been featured on HGTV and will be having her own show on HGTV in the near future...http://www.shannonquimby.com/
One of my favorite things in her book was putting a drinking fountain in her house for little ones...Just think how many glasses you wouldn't have to wash!
I hope to run into you again Shannon! It was so nice to meet you :0)

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Meet Rose


HOW FUN! A new e-bay group has been started to create travel art called Art Journey! Each member has chosen a traveler ( a person or animal) to take virtual trips around the world.Each month, we will choose a scripture to accompany our travelers on their adventures!We will post our creations on the 15th of each month.Collect all of one traveler's journeys or collect a variety!

Rose's adventure begins...
Join Rose as her first adventure begins with a picnic on the banks of Crater Lake...in the beautiful state of Oregon, with her favorite Aunt Pearl.
It turned out to be a perfect day and while she was thinking ahead and planning her next adventure, a favorite scripture verse came to mind..."for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go..." Joshua 1:9 She ended the days journey with a smile knowing that many more wonderful adventures lay ahead. Rose has started an altered travel journal and will be adding mementos from each of her destinations. At the end of her travels, her journal will be made into a ZINE and sold on Ebay.
This postcard sized (4X6") piece of art is being listed on Ebay on June 15th http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=hand-made-n

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

I'm curious...




Albert Einstein once said about curiosity: "The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. "

This Altered Postcard was made with Curiosity in mind...
Synonyms: inquisitive, snoopy, nosy...
I think that People are truly curious by nature...
Are we looking in at these curious onlookers or are they looking out at us???


I just joined a group called Artwords http://artwordsclan.blogspot.com/
A new Artword is posted each Sunday. The object is to create an entry interpreting the topic in any way you wish.
This week the Artword was CURIOSITY...How curious!

This altered postcard is for sale on Ebay this week http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=hand-made-n

Friday, May 26, 2006

"The cat did it"...Dog collage...Try it Tuesdays week 2 transparency

In this 8X8 collaged piece, the text is the transparency...
I added colored chalk to the back of the tape to add a little color before gluing it down :0)
Sorry about the picture...My scanner is picking up some funky digital stuff...It really looks a whole lot better in person!

Friday, May 19, 2006

Altered book cover using Try it Tuesdays background

I decided to use my background piece for an altered book cover...I will add it to the front of the book with eyelets and possibly embellish it a little further with fiber or beads...


Try it Tuesdays acrylic background week #1...


try it tuesdays background
Originally uploaded by createdbyamber.
This is my acrylic background done for Try It Tuesdays challenge group...I used antique white, butter yellow and wild rose...This is definately one of my favorite new techniques!!!

New art Challenge...Try it Tuesdays Group

http://tryittuesdays.wordpress.com/faq/

Monday, May 15, 2006

Balance




Balance...what a powerful and convicting word!
When I was a little girl we had a very large and ancient Cherry tree bordering our property.
I looked forward to the time of year that all the cherries were ripe. I would eat the cherries, spit out the pits and watch them fall to the earth, from my sturdy branch.
As the summer days waned along with the selection of ripe cherries, I would find myself stretching and reaching for the red cherries that were just beyond my grasp. That desire would tempt me and lure me into positioning myself on a less secure branch to get the desired fruit. Toward the end of the season I would even be brave enough to perch on a branch that would bend and let me stretch and reach the tempting red fruit. Looking back its a wonder I didn't fall and break my neck!!!
Balancing all aspects of our busy lives, I find, is somewhat like climbing that cherry tree.
We need to know when to stop climbing even though there are a few perfect inticing juicy temptations outside our reach and be content with the knowledge that not all things are attainable or even necessary for fullfillment! Balance is not having everything but being happy with what we have and knowing when to stop!

Friday, May 12, 2006

When I grow up I want to be an artist

ambers-altered-art

When I was a little girl they tell me I was a dreamer...I spent most of my childhood outside playing the daylight hours away...
My mother had a rock courtyard garden edged in all kinds of delicate roses and that was one of my favorite places to visit and dream...It was there that my heart shut out all the traffic noises and only heard the beautiful call of the swallows and the hum of the bees...interacting with the tiniest details in nature...
In our backyard we also had a gigantic willow tree... It's leaves rustling with the wind...it's branches covering me and protecting me in my imagined adventures...
These were the seeds that were planted in my heart... I only need remember these wonderful memories of childhood and I am transported there once again...
Art makes me feel much in the same way...I love creating art in its many forms...interacting with the tiniest details... when I grow up I want to be an artist!!!

New art challenge

ambers-altered-art
I just signed up for a fun new art project called Try it Tuesdays
http://tryittuesdays.wordpress.com/faq/
Every Tuesday a new artsy technique will be unveiled…
The Mission? Is to try it out… and share the results..
The idea behind this challenge is about the process, not the product.. and creating a bit of time each week for art.

Sounds fun to me! Watch for details...

My art in Southern California


ambers-altered-art

In March I was invited to participate in a Folk-art show called All-I-Day at the Disneyland Hotel...It was my first show and I brought 100 ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) for the show...I wasn't sure what to expect but it was so much fun and there was much interest in my art...
I was pleased to have been approached by someone who wanted to carry my art in her shop in Southern California! Her name is Ruby Lang from the shop called SOLO in Solana Beach, by San Diego Califronia. If you are in the area please stop by and see my art and other unique and fun items by other artists also. http://www.solocedros.com/
She will be carrying some of my Whimsical dog Collages soon as well!!!

Here is a Dog Collage that I recently sold on Ebay

Thursday, May 11, 2006

My own Blog spot finally!

I have been wanting to have my own blog for awhile now...This will be fun!!!