MARTHA STEWART, MOVE OVER!

Here is what the ATC book looks like put together. The Red Boot Bag is made from 2 lunch size bags fitted together and held in place with staples and decorative brads from the craft store. Our very own Martha Stewarts (one with a delightful English Accent), Jane Ferguson and Nancy Calhoun, made 18 bags....and each one was different! That's dedicated creativity. The whole idea reminded me of Valentine's Day in grade school where we decorated card board shoe boxes with doilies, red hearts, glitter, and what ever else we could think of, cut a slit in the lid and then every child put a valentine into everyone's box. I have forgotten what the boxes looked like but I still remember how I felt making them. Treasured memories of childhood. There was that same sense of excitement in the air yesterday as everyone admired each other's art and then went home with a small treasure from each of our friends. Here is a slide show of each "collection" for you to admire.

MY FIRST ATC'S

Today was the annual Holiday Party for our Critique Group. It is the highlight of the season for me. This is a group of very, very talented artists who have become wonderful friends. The annual party is very festive with great food, an extremely generous hostess who offers her magnificent home each year and lots of great art. This past year we had occasion to make a book of Artist Trading Cards from each of us put into a small book as a "Get Well" gift and a "Happy 80th Birthday" gift. The rest of us were jealous and trying to figure out how we could snag one of these "books" when we came up with the idea to create one for each of us as the painting holiday gift exchange. We each needed to make 18 little 2.5 x 3.5 A.T.C. paintings for the exchange. WHAT FUN! We had a great time looking at each artist's efforts. Then, we dropped one in each of the 18 bags (made to look like a Christmas Boot) After lunch, we each put our little books together and then everyone signed their card in each other's books. It reminded me of several fun times in school (Valentine's day, yearbook signing day, art projects).

Today I am posting my set of cards I made for this gift exchange. I collaged over an old painting and cut it up into the right size cards. A half sheet of watercolor paper will yield 18 cards. I drew this figures with a permanent fine point pen then colored them in with oil based colored pencils. The finishing touches were put on with a gold pen. (The gold photographs white!)

Tomorrow I will post the sets of paintings by the others. Jane Ferguson made a little video showing how to make the book. I am sharing that video with all of you so you, too, can have the fun of making one of these little treasures.