Big Changes!!

For quite some time I have been using a space in the basement for my Art space. I moved from our loft room because I hated having to put all my "Stuff" away when company was coming and there was not enough room to keep all my "Stuff" close at hand. So with the help of my husband Joe and the kiddies I schlepped all of my "Stuff" to the basement, along with my computer and printer,etc. and set up shop down there. I wrestled with the thought of moving back upstairs off and on all winter--that basement is COLD--but I found a space heater in the garage and finalized my decision to stay down there! Our basement is totally unfinished and we cannot afford major reno costs so Joe and I did the next best thing. IKEA--We used our meager carpentry skills to cover the staircase wall with faux beadboard panelling and the bookcases did the rest. Below are before and after pictures
BEFORE:

a

AFTER--

I am soooooooooooo HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As you can see I even have empty or near empty shelves!! There is so much space. I have shelves for my scrapbook paper, the corner is for my toys and dolls, My art books and ATC binders, embellishments, collage elements, paint and stamping stuff!!
I rearranged the way my table and computer were oriented and really like it.

ATC UPDATE--
MILWAUKEE LIVE ATC TRADE MARCH 21, 2009
On Saturday March 21, my Birthday twin Nina, the talented ObsessiveCreative, and I drove on up to Milwaukee for the Live ATC Trade. This month the trade was held at a really interesting store/gallery-Art'n Oddiites. About 25 traders showed up and it was great! The theme was I'm Game. The trade sessions went smoothly and I was able to score 24 trades. Nina and I had the best lunch at a nearby Gyro place prior to the meet up and we couldn't keep that a secret even with mints and gum--It was GOOD though.
BELOW ARE FEW PICTURES FROM THE MEET UP





NEWS FLASH
Starting on May 2, 2009 there will be a Live ATC Trade at the Dick Blick Art Materials store at the Danada Square Shopping Center in Wheaton, Illinois. The meet up will be from 3:30 to 7:30.
I believe there will be a creating session with some materials supplied by Dick Blick-Call the store to make sure-630-653-0569. Not sure what time the actual trade is starting but will post it when I find out. PS. Yours truly will be moderating the first trade session.
Have a great week and
MAKE ART

New cards for Milwaukee

I can't believe I have actually got my cards ready for the Milwaukee Live trade and it isn't until Feb. 28th. I had been turning over ideas in my mind for several weeks and got stuck on newspaper since the theme is "Black, White and Red/Read all over" . I finally settled on a tenative design for the card series -because I really do not like making 18 plus cards all the same- and Saturday I started out to put them together. Below is a sampling of the cards. I did end up making a few of the versions in 2's and 3's as I liked them more than others.





Check out my flickr site to see all of the cards in the series-- GypsyArt. Along with those cards are some of my newer cards and a couple of small canvas collage that I recently completed in a series called "The Secret Life of Birds".
Gotta go--til next time
GO MAKE ART!!
Lynne

Some new Art for the New Year

I have had a couple of days away from work and have been diddling around with this and that and Finally sat down with my boxes and piles of leftover paper and scraps of text and photos and started making ATC's. Not thinking about it too much, just sorting through and picking up pieces that caught my eye, an intuitive, free form session tonight. Here is the result. Some I like better than others,and most have a beeswax top coat.

I tried to stick to my New Years resolution of using what I have on hand--and I did. I used some copies of some of my favorite photos and I like how they turned out.
BUT--
I want to go to Dick Blicks!!! to get some Large Canvas for some bigger collage that I have been thinking about. Am I bad??
Go make Art--
Lynne