Artistic Creations...

Thought I'd show you what I've been working on (and some of the reason I stay up late)!  My creativity seems to "come out" later at night and just doesn't work well in the morning!  I know that some people are just made that way and I'm one of them!  :-)

I just finished and mailed out an altered clipboard.  Now some (I can hear Rick & Bob now) might want to know why on earth you'd "alter" a clipboard!  Actually, it's really only because you can!  It's like a canvas or another surface to work on!  Kind of like some of those abstracts you see and wonder "why"!  It's not really meant to be functional, more like a piece of artwork that you'd enjoy looking at! :-)  The theme is supposed to be "all about you" but why would anyone want a surface all about me?  I created it instead to be something that I would like to look at and on the back I made a small "all about me"!  My swap partner can remove it from the back if she wants to use it!  Pretty smart, huh?

Tonight I've been working on a couple of ATCs.  ATCs are Artist Trading Cards.  These are quite the rage right now!  They are like mini pieces of art that we trade amongst each other.  There are ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) that can be sold, but ATCs are only traded!  The group that I belong to "Art For The Creative Mind" has lots of swaps and most have a theme.  The ATCs I'm working on are children using buttons and bows!  There's a LOT of artistic license here so that can really mean most anything!  :-) 

It's been really neat making these ATCs because on my computer (that had been stored for all the years we were traveling) I had some images I had scanned years ago from pictures that my dad had from his family and I'm using a couple of those!  The only down side is that ATCs are 2-1/4" x 3-1/2" so there's not much room and the pictures had to be printed pretty small!  I don't know "who" these family members are...just that they are really old!

It's kind of fun though seeing "how" these come together!  Some times I get inspiration from looking online at others that have created ATCs, cards, tags, pages, etc.  Other times I get an idea in my head or think of something to use and just start pulling "things" out that I have!  Sometimes I also just browse through the aisles at the store and things kind of come together!  A lot of times, tonight included things don't even end up like I had originally thought!  One thing I really need to start doing is keep track of the items I use to make some of these things!

I hope you enjoy looking at what I've created!  I'll be interested in seeing your comments!  :-)