Extravaganza Artventure

My project for this year's Extravaganza was an altered memory box.

Two sides of the altered memory box exploded with tags featuring me and Dad.

The days and last minutes leading to the Extravaganza seemed endless but in the end it all proved to be a worthwhile experience.

Each year the stamp store, Stampin' From the Heart in Los Angeles, has an art-filled fun day with breakfast and lunch provided for 20 participants.  Each person leaves with a tote bag packed with rubber stamps, paper/ephemera and an apron.  There are raffles on the hour and everyone leaves with four completed projects that four teachers offer.  There are four groups that spend an hour and a half at each teacher's table and the goal is to finish on time.  I've never experienced speed dating but this is how I imagine it to be.  We're all put on a timer, the fun begins, and then we work hard and fast to complete the project on time.    
I spend a lot of prep time before the day begins.  I want all the crafters that sit at my table to not stress out or have hissy fits cause we have 15 minutes left and they're still working on the first part of the project.  I've been on the other side of the game and I know that when you stress you DON'T have fun.  Not having fun leaves you with an incomplete project that you'll shove under the bed or  hide in a drawer where it will stay FOREVER!  Believe me, it's happened to me and I never want that to be the case with whatever it is I create for this event.
I'm happy to report that everyone finished their altered boxes and from the looks on their faces at the end of the day,  it looked as if they were satisfied with their project.  Lots of positive feedback leads me to believe that they will not be putting this project under the bed!
Have a wonderful Sunday and remember to make every moment count.  

Hoppy Easter

Happy Easter!

I made this card for my parents the other day.  It's differs slightly from the one I made for a Make-it-Take-it last year.  It differs slightly in color - I edged it in purple and added swirls of purple distress ink onto the tag instead of a smokey black shade.  I also added yellow beads in the centers of the green flowers rather than the gold sparkly dots and I omitted a stamped script in the background and a sunburst image.  But they would never know the changes.  Oh, just to make her carry out the Easter role, I added a glittery egg and a cotton tail.  
Hoping you have a wonderful Sunday.  And if you celebrate Easter, hope you find lots of colorful eggs! 

Tag Rolodex

While trying to organize my tags today, I couldn't help but notice that they looked like tags on a Rolodex.  

Row after row of tags kept my head spinning as each one silently cried to be captured by the camera.  Such show-offs.

One of my favorite models has been the beautiful Ms. Josephine Baker.

I began making tags back in April of 2007.  Who knew that playing with paint and ink on giant tags would lead to holding workshops and make-it-take-its.  
Their large size of 8 x 4 were perfect for journaling on the back.  This was how they first began and the first set were titled "Lady Birds" because each tag featured a woman with a bird somewhere on the tag.  I wonder if the people who made them that night still have them.  I continued to call them journal tags but the thought of journaling scares a lot of people so I went in another direction with them suggesting that people feature them near their art spaces or give them away as tag cards.  Years later some of us made a calendar featuring these art tags.
The tags I tried to organize today came from make-it-take-its but there were a few that came out of hiding from a few books where they've been housed in.  Keeping them out in the open is a risk factor in getting sun damage but I try to keep my spinner rack away from direct sunlight.
Someone who took a few of my classes once told me that she had her tags displayed in her art room going across the top of her ceiling like a banner.  Another person who's taken my classes switches faces by replacing them with family member's faces and then she gives them away as birthday cards.   I've given some of mine away telling myself that I'll replace them but I never get around to it.  Instead I play with colors and come up with new ideas.
Lately I've been thinking of retiring my tag girls.  It's been a good five years and I've got a filled up composition book with paint chips and scribbled instructions - a sort of memory book I suppose.  But I keep buying tags and paint.  Sigh.  The cord is pretty thick and I'm not 100% sure if I'm ready to cut it.  Decisions decisions.
Oh, guess what I made today?  Yep, a tag girl with a cotton tail and an Easter egg.  To be continued.....     

Where ONE Woman Creates

BEFORE

AFTER

I did a little cleaning late last night into the wee hours of the morning but you probably can't tell.  Blame it on Diet Dr. Pepper.  Each time I'm tempted to have a "cold one" - in my case, Dr. Pepper or Coke, I pay the price of "Eyes-Opened-Wide- Syndrome."  I made the not so wise choice of having both yesterday afternoon.
Vacuum, check.  Throw/clean-out bags, check.  You die-hard crafters KNOW about those bags. Clean off desk, sorta check.  Organize Extravaganza items, BIG CHECK.  Dust, check later.  
As I took the BEFORE pictured I wondered, "Do I really want to show the world what the room of where one woman creates looks like?" Then a question I was once asked came back to me.  I think the occasion was Easter and we had a house full.  One of my nieces brought her then boyfriend over and when he looked into my art room he immediately asked with excitement "Who's the artist?!"  I was flattered.  No one had ever referred to me as an artist and he clearly saw something.  So I quietly said "me."  A big grin went across his face and he continued to admire all the paints, paper, fun junk, etc and he seemed excited to be surrounded by all the creative clutter.  As I loosened up I showed him some of my art stuff and we talked about visual journaling and altered art.  He was impressed;  I was a little embarrassed as I was still trying to get used to this "artist" thing.  He was a nice kid and wanted to be a chef.  He loved to cook and we talked about different cooking schools.  He was creative in his own kind of way so maybe that's why he could sense that someone else was creative in her own kind of way.   Alex is no longer with us as he unfortunately fell victim to violence two years ago.  But I will always remember his comment and be grateful to him for noticing that room as one which belonged to an artist, me, one woman who creates.