This Fall has been unconventional, as they usually are in my neck of the woods..Instead of fall colors we usually get fog, humidity and mozzies..Until we are deep into November or December..
I love an early morning walk in the fog..Especially on the beach..With my friends...
Texas City Dike didn't disappoint...I was careful to watch my step, because there were dozens of hermit crabs walking with me along the shoreline...We passed seagulls lined up on their perches like sentries..
My friends and I find it soothing to watch marine wildlife during our walks on the shore :-)
A new creation begins with inspiration, a dream...........
Talking takes inspiration to a new level
So does experimentation
And then just do...
I love the smell, the colors and softness of wool top and roving...The yumminess puts me in a good place!
"Coral Clouds" being spun into a single using the Z twist, my drop spindle spinning clockwise...
"Coral Clouds" two singles plied together , wound, ready for a 20 minute soak in hot water....
Once this yarn is dry, it can be made into a project ....
I always start my creative journey with coffee
I learned some new crochet stitches this summer..
Some of those stitches are used in this project pictured...Shawl in a Ball is the name of the yarn I am using..
"Community Coral" is the colorway..
About halfway finished
Do you have a favorite way to wear a triangle shawl ?
I gave this shawl to my sweet daughter in law, Melissa, for her birthday
May each and every one of you be blessed with happy Happy inspirations!
This year marks my second year of participating in the Liberate your Art Postcard Swap..
My participation in the 2015 post card swap came at a traumatic time in my life when everything was one big blur, so I didn't have so much time to fully enjoy it...
Not only did I enjoy this LYA 2016 main swap, I also did many side swaps..I became addicted to making postcards that feature my favorite photography work...
When the mood hits me, I give up e-mail for a time, Instead, I send my postcard snail mail to family and friends (old and new)..
I especially love having other people's pretty mail land in my mailbox...
I think a LYA swap of postcards and blog hop is a very effective way of networking with other artists to promote their work and our own..
In this blog post I included photos I took of the numerous beautiful postcards that landed in my mailbox over the last month or more...
One important thing I found out about myself during this fun experience...
I LOVE the challenge that comes with finding/creating unique ways to set up photo shoots..Backgrounds - stages that relate to the subjects being photographed while providing a glimpse into my own life...
My main swaps mailed out
Love-flowers landed at the home of Sheila Delgado in California
Love-feather on the beach landed with Jane Ross(unknown location) and another with Kat Van Rooyen czt of Virginia
Mikki Raub of Pueblo Colorado received Bird on the fence
I do not know as of yet where "Breathe"or "On pins and needles" has landed ...
These collages pictured are images of the cards I mailed this year with info on where they have landed...Memories of how many cards I mailed and with which image featured has become a blur....All of the cards I have received in the main swap/side swaps are pictured in this blog post :-)
My first five side swaps sent
The Earth Laughed in Flowers, landed at the home of Diane Mc Whirter in Australia..
The postcard with the footsteps chasing the sun landed in France at the home of Louise Mamet..
The sunset -lone tree landed at the home of Patsy Lawrence in Murfreesboro..
The purple flower postcard without its scientific name landed in King City Oregon at the home of Patricia Mark..
The Tradescantia postcard landed at the home of Terry Owenby in Portland Oregon
Another side swap that I sent
This postcard landed with Amy Irwen in Minnesota..
Below are the cards that landed safely in my mailbox ( in Texas ), thus far...Side swaps are still ongoing :-)
Many of the goodies I included in these postcard shots are very old and precious to me..Most were gifts.....All of them trigger pleasant memories for me, of activities with my family and friends..
Lower left is a creation of Julia Jacques from Everett Washington..I love the texture and happy colors pictured!
Upper right is from Sonya Versluys of Santa Ana California.. "Your creative voice is louder and more powerful than any other voice" is the lovely quote on the back.. I would love to be in the beautiful sunshine enjoying the wonderful architecture seen in her postcard :-))
The postcard on the left is a beautiful piece painted by Sheila Delgado..sheiladelgado.com. "Creativity takes courage" ~ Henry Matise ~ is a quote on the back...
The postcard on the right is from Amy Irwen...This card pictures a collage made of tissue paper, gel and ink.."Innocence" is the name of the piece..Amy dedicated her piece to courageous Paris, in the aftermath of last year's bombings...
This postcard is from Charlotte Prado of Annapolis Maryland....I love her artwork, a whimsical drawing of a big city or village..The notecard I received (not pictured) from her is very pretty too..
From Sarah Calhoun in Atlanta Georgia
A side post received from David Wolanski of Wilmington Delaware..Title of art pictured on this postcard is " Lost " ...A photo done with toy camera and film smile emoticon I love the dreamy mysterious feel..His website is http://davidwolanski.com The hanging camera ornament was gifted to me ( this past Christmas ) from a dear friend :-)
This postcard is from Yvonne..I didn't see any info that tells where she is from.. ...Quote on back of postcard reads " A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" ~ Lao Tzu ~ Yvonne walked 500 miles on an ancient pilgrim route, the Camino Frances connecting France to Spain..I love this peaceful image on her postcard..smile emoticon
Another Liberate Your Art Postcard landed in my mailbox ...Main swap... From Jacksonville Florida..Artist: Cynthia Jones.....I love the beautiful poppies and the quote.."Live as you were to die tomorrow""Learn as if you were to live forever"~Gandhi~ :-)))
Postcard featuring the beautiful and whimsical work of Janice Darby landed in my mailbox .. Janice lives in California smile emoticon
S. Lane's wonderful post card from Texas landed in my mail box ...Main Swap..I also live in Texas, near Galveston..S has this colorful water garden to care for and retreat to..Ms S Lane's blog is twistylane.blogspot.com
A Zentangle from Tazwell Virginia landed in my mailbox..From Kat van Rooyen..Hearts Untangled "No one can see through your eyes, no one can speak your art...Create!" is the quote on the back of the postcard.. I love Zentangles smile emoticon
This postcard from Patricia Lawrence of Murfreesboro TN landed in my mailbox ..Small world, as I have family in Murfreesboro! The image on the postcard is a spray painting on black canvas..Beautiful pastel colors and texture! Patricia created this piece using her grandmother's stencil smile emoticon
Postcard from Pat in Portland Oregan
From Sarah Wiseman in Cumbria UK. Gecko painted on silk panel... Sarah's website
Another landing, a postcard from Sean Dean in B.C.Canada paintamasterpiece.blogspot.com I love her colorful collage of adorable critters :-))
This beautiful postcard is from Sherry Harmes of Alaska..She lives on a remote island off of Kodiak Island, Alaska..The quote on the back is "Conceive, Believe, Achieve!!!" I love these buildings, the color and textures of her art :-))
Another postcard from David Wolanski- David's website ..His picture was shot using a toy - camera...A Holga...Scene in picture is in Vicksburg Mississippi..Background is Mc Hale Park in Seabrook Texas...I became aware of David's work via this year's LYA Swap ..I was inspired to buy myself a Holga, I am currently shooting my first roll of film..We shall see :-)
This beautiful postcard from Louise Mamet landed in my mailbox from France..The image on the postcard is Venice as seen thru her lens.. "I like this place and could willingly waste my time in it" ~ William Shakespeare ~ is the quote on the back.. Louise's website is dropsofeverything.wordpress.comsmile emoticon
A lovely postcard that landed in my mailbox from the main swap..From Debra Fillingim in Florida..http://debrafillingim.com I love owls and the sounds that they make smile emoticon
I received a beautiful flower from Teena Lurlene of Richmond Virginia..I love getting flowers smile emoticon Teena designs tiaras... She is also an awesome photographer heart emoticon The background is one of the bath sets that I make...I like to felt soaps and crochet these wash cloths smile emoticon
From Karen in Ohio-main swap 2016
From Kat Sloma our host of the Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap :-)
I love her work..Kat has been a big inspiration to me in finding new ways to work with texture layers..
I love this whimsical and colorful postcard..It speaks to my soul
smile emoticon The image is of Jenni's original work "Find Your Happy Place"... Gouache on watercolor paper- size 12" x9 ".. Jenni's web site is www.everythingjenni.com.
This bouquet of tulips traveled to my mailbox all of the way from Australia..These beautiful blooms were done in color pencil by Diane McWhirter Diane's work
The small canvas in the background was painted in acrylic by an old friend of mine, Jo Claire Hall Groovy Girl Art
This postcard features a photo of an old passenger car..Photography by David Wolanski...The old passenger
car is being used as a hunting cabin in a town that is mostly abandoned..
I love the color and textures displayed on this postcard from Terry Owenby ... Gelli-plate prino and collage...On the back is this beautiful quote " Art is when you hear a knocking from your soul-and you answer" ~ Terri Guillemets ~
This teapot didn't have far to travel to land in my mailbox..I live on the Upper Texas Coast, near Houston..
This postcard by Snap Lane made its travels from Houston..Snap received this teapot as a gift from a dear friend who hand carried it from China..You can find Snap's blog here http://twistylane.blogspot.com
Landed in my mailbox yesterday ( June 20th, 2016). From Debbie Osborn in Norfolk United Kingdom
Many thanks to Kat and her helpers for making this Liberate Your Art Postcard Swap possible :-)
For the past month or more I have been having a lot of fun exchanging postcards with other artists.... It is fun to find out which corner of the world they live in..Interacting with this online community ( on an almost daily basis) lets me find out what inspires the individual artists in the production of their work!
I treasure the many new friendships that I am making :-))))
Beautiful video compilation that Kat made for us with stats on how many art pieces were liberated, and from where.. Many of the postcards that were swapped this year are featured here :-)
I shall make this postcard swap a yearly habit to usher in the Spring Season :-)
This year, I find myself taking an unusually different direction in my photography..
I have been known to get up at the crack of dawn to chase sunrises once or twice a week..
With the demise of my favorite park by the bay , I don't get out to shoot like I usually do..
Instead, I have been playing with still life photography and editing..I have fun printing my favorite work into post cards :-)
Welcome to my most recent still life frenzy !!!!
Pieces from my late mom's tea set
I shot this image at Hermann Park while hanging out with my friend Geff...He flew in to Houston from San Francisco, to spend Easter with family and friends :-)
When the entire week stays gloomy and overcast, I'll sometimes treat myself to a bouquet of colorful cut flowers..These tulips caught my eye..
The pottery egg was made by Christi Ormsby, who lived and worked in Sewanee Tennessee..My sister and I attended college there together in 1976...The first week we spent on campus, we walked to downtown Sewanee to explore..We found a cute and tiny shop called the Lemon Fair..Where we spotted these eggs..We each bought one to decorate our dorm room..This year makes 40 years that we have had these eggs in our possession :-)
