ATC experimentation

The latest ATC experiments have been all about texture and mucking about with just how much you can use a sewing machine for. I'm not a seamstress. I just know how to make the sewing machine go, so it's not exactly a fine art or anything.




This series utilizes paper, paint and fabric to create mixed media, sewn ATC's.





Unfortunately some of the pics didn't come out too clear. That's what happens when I use a point-and-shoot instead of my trusty 35 mil. camera. sigh. The cards above are Live and Learn memories. The left side utilizes an old tie dye shirt and a chocolate wrapper. On the right I used some feathers and a gem from my masquerade ball costume.





These two are some of my favorites. Both use fabrics, paper and paint to create a very textured card. The heart and circle are raised up.





This series is paper sculpted with gel medium, paint and glitter. Can you tell I'm getting ready for Day of the Dead? Or am I just really early for Valentine's Day?





These were fun doodles. They started out with watercolor paint and got layered with colored pencils (including watercolor pencils, my fave) chalks, oil pastels and iridescent watercolor medium.




These were really fun, though I am not in love with the results yet. I took a stiff backing of felt (most of my fabric ATC's start that way) and stitched a swatch of canvas to the top. I then gesso'd them and painted with acrylic paint. A mini paint canvas ATC style! Cool idea, but I need to play with it more.




Last month we had fun up at Clark's creek with our friends. I took home a small pile of river rocks and got inspired to paint them. The results make me happy. I love baskets of colorful bits and meditation stones, these are F.U.N. They feel so good in your hand too!




Last, a couple shots of my messy art room. I used to have a corner of the garage, but I've upgraded to an actual room in the garage. Complete with walls.:)

It's not pretty, but we write on the walls and have a generally fabulous time in there. Sierra is my constant companion when art is happening. I think every bit of clothing she owns has been altered in some fashion.



The most awesome piece of equipment I ever invested in? Guess.

Nope, not that lovely sewing machine.

Not the hot glue gun.

No, no, no, it's not the soldering iron.

Nah, it's my shop vac! I LOVE, love, love my shop vac which sucks up all sorts of chunks and scraps and anything at all you don't feel like cleaning up. It's a vacuum for the relaxed housekeeper. That'd be me. Yes, yes. I highly recommend one.

There is something most satisfying about throwing your scraps on the cement floor and sucking them up with an all powerful, uber-hungry, somewhat demonic vacuum. Most satisfying indeed. Be careful or it will suck your soul! It's that powerful.

Now you know what happened to me.;)