Art-In-A-Carton

Cathy Minerva's Art-in-A-Can to meMe & Pretty Paper Posies Tina

I was approached to be in the swap featured at
http://www.art-in-a-carton.blogspot.com/
by the amazing queen of pixies Cathy Minerva at
http://minervasmadness.blogspot.com/

I had the honor of meeting Cathy at ZNE's Castle in the Meadow event '08
Above is the fabulous art she sent me.

The gist is that over 50 gals from around the world swap their art with 3 others, packaged in a milk carton or container. I'm swapping back with Cathy,

Mollye Self,
http://www.shezadoozey.com/Truth_Or_Spoof/page_1795057.html
& Tina Curtis
http://prettypaperposies.blogspot.com/
who was my roomie at the ZNE Convenzione 2008! She's a wiz at ATC's & most things she touches. I'm looking forward to getting my carton from her.

I will post pics of mine when finished. I went yesterday to Menards & bought some unfinished paint cans to use for my containers. We don't drink anything in a carton & I wanted something different. I got to work on them some last night & have made ATC's, paper dolls, faux cakes so far to fill them.

It's just so much fun to be friends with fellow artists that you admire. Thanks girls & I'm loving this.

Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.

Earl Nightingale (1921 - 1989) US voicist

Lisa Kettell's Carnival Soiree

The amazingly talented Lisa Kettell is hosting a fun Blog - Carnival Party on March 14th over at her blog

http://faerieenchantment.blogspot.com/

She's another amazingly gifted altered artist that is making her mark.

She just recently published a book, & teaches workshops at various events.

Her party sounds like a fun time, be sure to check it out.

Lisa also plays hostess to some awesome swaps over on Flickr's "Faerie Zine Group" that I will be participating in. (See swaps on my sidebar)

Her carnival looks to be a fun & original event not to be missed for sure.

So much to do so little time

Alice in Wonderland ATC
Make Believe ATC's

Pink & Black ATC
More ATC's thought you might care to see all gone to Swap-Bot swappers.


I'm going to scale back on my swap-bot addiction it's given me great experience in creating ATC's, aprons, dotees, matchboxes. All things I hadn't dabbled in prior. I need to make some extra time for my other art. I keep thinking I need to market more, somehow. Locally it's a bust which is ever frustrating. Every show I do I get so many compliments but alas not as productive sales as I'd hoped. I do far better on the internet, soooo. Hmmmm Time is not my friend. I'm a night owl prefer to work at night due to less interruptions. It's pretty hard to squeeze it all in with work right now. I've read alot lately on people that made it work via Etsy, Kellie over at http://www.papercatdesigns.blogspot.com/ her work is amazing I might add. (thanks for all the kind words). So many of my talented girls are getting published Kudos - someday I'll be there with ya. Do you ever wish you didn't have to sleep? :)

Funny I ran across this while surfing around, but it is quite valid

Sunday 's Messagefrom the Universe

The discoveries, breakthroughs, inventions and revelations that PROFOUNDLY change lives, individually, and globally, rarely, if ever, require dollars, or even time... they just require a little thinking. And what could be easier than thinking? YOUR OWN breakthroughs, of mind boggling proportions, are only ever a THOUGHT away... just think!

(yep it's those things that make you go hmmmmm)

Let's talk about Colors

The little lad with the key was for the swap I hosted Vintage Valentine Swap
ATC's created for Swap-bot swaps sent thus far this month

"Ladies" series for Art-in-a-Carton

I have always been fascinated with things like Horoscopes, Color Therapy etc. Also right / left brain (since I'm left handed.) Well I'm one of these people that just can't fit in the box it's so hard to pin me down to Just 1 favorite movie, or book or flavor, or Color. I mean why limit yourself. I love the whole box of crayons ya know?

So I'm surfing around the web & here is a new color test to find out your personality. This is like none I've ever taken before. You add up the numbers in your birthdate & use the last # of the total to find what you are. Hmmmm So I'm #5 which is;

Sky Blue - The Healer
Sky Blues are inventive, talkative, witty and very communicative. They are very good at nurturing team spirit and have the ability to bring healing to many. They are the most likely personality type to enjoy working from home.

I'm agree with the working at home part but I am not currently there :( ah well. If you want to see what you are since it would have been too much to post check it out at http://www.coloursofthesoul.com/colour-personalities/info_90.html

Oh yes ChOcOLaTe!

Everyone loves chocolate right? Well I'm smiling because I received some oh so yummy treats via swap-bot's unique chocolate bar swaps recently. You have to mail chocolate that isn't just something you'd buy at the grocery. I got some Cadbury's from England, Mexican, & my new favorite Chai Tea by Chocolate Factory Organic & I mean Yummy! I hope you can enjoy some chocolate today :)(thanks to all my swap partners)

Health facts on chocolate
New research is finding chocolate to be packed with high-quality anti oxidants that may reduce the risk of developing cancer and heart disease
Cocoa and chocolate are rich in minerals that the body needs, including magnesium and iron Source: Chocolate & Cocoa: A Review of Health and Nutrition

America's love affair with chocolate
Chocolate is America's favorite flavor. A recent survey revealed that 52 percent of U.S. adults said they like chocolate best. The second favorite flavor was a tie (at 12 percent each) between berry flavors and vanilla.
In 2000, the total chocolate consumption in the U.S. was 3.3 billion pounds
The estimated retail sales of chocolate in 2000 were $13 billion
Chocolate manufacturers currently use 40 percent of the world's almonds and 20 percent of the world's peanuts.
Seventy-one percent of American chocolate eaters prefer milk chocolate. Source: National Confectioners Association/Chocolate Manufacturers Association

Australia Aide via Natasha Burns

http://natashaburns.blogspot.com/2009/02/bushfire-appeal-auction-item-2-gown.html

This gorgeous art is up for auction at the talented Natasha Burns website. She resides in Australia & due to the fires & devastation has generously offered this great piece up for auction. She is a super talented artist & her little son has even done some art of his own as well. Please stop by & bid. Her proceeds will be donated.

Happy Valentines Weekend

Happy Valentines to you!

I hope you felt loved. I received the beautiful roses which are just the prettiest color & a pound of peanut-butter fudge! The pic of the two lil cuties are my great Aunts. My Aunt Mickie turned 91 on Feb. 2nd at her Birthday bash her little sister Patsy gave her a smooch. It was so sweet!

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Practice random beauty and senseless acts of love..... Anonymous
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Lunchbox Love Note
by Kenn Nesbitt
Inside my lunch to my surprise a perfect heart-shaped love note lies.
The outside says, “Will you be mine?” and, “Will you be my valentine?”
I take it out and wonder who would want to tell me “I love you.”
Perhaps a girl who’s much too shy to hand it to me eye to eye.
Or maybe it was sweetly penned in private by a secret friend
Who found my lunchbox sitting by and slid the note in on the sly.
Oh, I’d be thrilled if it were Jo, the cute one in the second row.
Or could it be from Jennifer? Has she found out I’m sweet on her?
My mind’s abuzz, my shoulders tense. I need no more of this suspense.
My stomach lurching in my throat, I open up my little note.
Then wham! as if it were a bomb, inside it reads,
“I love you—Mom.”

Recipe for a Happy Day & cupcake toppers

(left)

This is the sweet Birthday Fairy "Miss Sophie" a custom ordered job for a cupcake topper. I hope she enjoys it!

(right) Here is one of my faux cupcakes with topper.

Featured on my Etsy site

http://www.jillzwhimzy.etsy.com/

Recipe For A Happy Day

1 cup friendly words

2 cups (heaping) understanding

4 t. (heaping) time & patience

Pinch warm personality

Dash of humor

Measure words carefully. Add heaping cups of understanding. Mix in generous amounts of time & patience. Keep temperature low; do not come "to a boil." Add dash of humor & pinch of warm personality. Season to taste with spice of life & serve to all present.

Hosting a new Swap; Vintage Valentine Theme ATC

I'm hosting another swap over on Swap-bot this time it's my newest addiction (besides aprons, & cupcakes), ATC's. You know those crazy cute artist trading cards. I admittedly was late jumping on the band wagon for these. When I went to Cali for the ZNE convenzione some of the girls swapped a few with me. (Tina & Connie) these little cards were awesome! Well swap bot got me going & I love that I can whip these out fairly quickly. Hence I still get my dose of art / creativity in even if a short stint. There were several ATC Valentine swaps but nothing along the line of altered or vintage so here I go. :) If you want to pop over & sign up the more the merrier!

http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/29795