RAK for a Friend

I don't know if I should post this, because it's a surprise ATC for a friend - oh, well, even if she sees it, she won't know that she's "the one" until she receives it! Anyway, she's so busy, she probably can't find the time to read my blog! ;)

The card stock base is scraped with acrylics, the second layer is wrinkled, walnut inked and punched. The third layer (colored circle) was created using a technique similar to Bernie Berlin's "Inky Layers" technique in her book, Artist Trading Card Workshop. (Of course, I can't do anything exactly like the instructions say, I've always got to put my own spin on it!) I hope my friend likes it! :)

Seven Things That ROCK!

Sneaky Lia of "Art Junk Girl" fame tagged everyone reading her blog to list seven things that ROCK, so here's my list:

1) Arts/Crafts - Just love 'em, I could spend all day and night working on all sorts of projects! Art really adds a lot to my life!

2) Lia's Artjunk Blog - Of course, Lia knew I would have her blog on the list, it was and still is my top favorite artsy blog of all time! If you haven't checked it out yet, you don't know what you're missing!

3) Old papers, books and magazines - My favorite stuff to use on my projects! Plus, hunting for those things is so much fun - I never know what "treasures" I'm going to find next!

4) New York Cheesecake Frozen Custard - I love cheesecake, so naturally my favorite flavor of frozen custard at Good Times is New York Cheesecake! That is, it's my favorite flavor so far - I haven't tried all the flavors yet!

5) Caran D'Ache Neocolor II Watercolor Crayons - I bought a 15-color set (actually, a 14-color set - one was missing) from a yard sale, and I think they are great! I think I'd better start saving up for the big set (84 colors)!

6) Summer - The warmth, the sun, the longer daylight, hopefully some extra time to do some fun, relaxing things - like art, maybe!

7) Art/Craft Blogs, Swap & Discussion Groups - So much fun chatting and swapping with like-minded creative individuals - it's great to get to know more and more of you nice, sharing, friendly people!

Okay, there's my list! You read this, I'd sure be interested to see what's on your list! (Am I nosey, or what?)

Creative Friends

You probably have someone in your life who doesn't "get" art /crafts. They don't understand why you "waste your time" creating a project. If there are very many of these "art doubters" in your life, they can dish out a lot of negativity surrounding you and your art/craft. That's why you need creative friends - for positive reinforcement and to neutralize some of that negative energy!



To find creative friends, you could look in your city or town for groups, guilds or clubs in your areas of interest. If you have trouble finding local groups or want to connect on your own timetable, the Internet is invaluable. You already know about art/craft blogs; you may also want to try Flickr groups for picture-sharing (http://www.flickr.com/), and Yahoo! groups for discussion or swapping (http://groups.yahoo.com/). Also, try searching for art retreats, conventions, classes and consumer shows. Meeting and interacting with like-minded individuals is the most important part of attending a special art/craft event. Often, friendships made at these events will continue afterward through Internet contact. I have many wonderful friends made through conventions; we keep in touch, and our friendships are strong, although we don't see each other often. Here's to making more creative friends!