New ATCs to trade

Always looking for a new challenge, my evening Art Quilt group (BTS) decided to make and trade ATC's (Artist Trading Cards).  As per my usual, I missed the night of the actual showing and trading (it was in the month of May - which is now crazy-busier-than-Dec-month but I'll save that 'rant' for another day).  

I happen to enjoy making (and trading) ATC's and have been planning to make some for a long time (I had hoped to trade some at this year's Quilt Festival - but November flew past and here we are in the summer and I have just now finished them!)

This is a fun way to use up colorful scraps left-over from any project.  The ATCs posted below began as scraps from my quilt "Sitting on Top of the World" (click here to see more of that quilt).  I played further with the scraps --   

 

making some dark ones on blue,

and lighter ones on pale pink.

The original base is inexpensive felt, the middle layer has candy wrappers, bright trims and scraps and the top layer is sheers, voiles and tulles.  The layers are stitched together in a free-form meandering style.  The pieces are trimmed to size and finished off with modge-podge and stitching to a cardstock back.

I took my ATCs (the ones above and more) to our "Beyond the Sunset" June meeting, offering them to those who attended that night even though they did not bring ATCs to trade (that happened in May).  So I simply asked them to bring me one next time.

I still have a few more ... I am happy to trade now or I can wait and trade them at Quilt Festival 2012.

Kate's ATC

I won!  I won!  I won one of Kate North's lovely ATCs!

Butterfly Pink

She offered five in a drawing open to all who signed up for her ALQS #4 (Another Little Quilt Swap, round 4).  Click here to learn more about it, though basically you sign up, make a quilt, send her digital images of it -- then select your top 10 favorites of the others posted -- and she arranges the swaps from everyone's top 10 wish lists.  For the specific guidelines, click here.

Thank you Kate for a lovely ATC and for hosting this swap again.  It is my first time to join ALQS and I look forward to this fun swap .... must go finish my quilt .... so I can possibly finish two to swap.

this and that

I love this cabochon face -- which is the focal point on my Arch from Lynn (one of the ones I couldn't locate when I took my group shot last week). Here is the full view of Lynn's arch, made especially for me in our 2008 yearlong Textile Challenges arch swap.

My twelfth (and final) arch was made by our TC leader Carol T Taylor. Now I do have a new "To Do" on my list -- create a finished piece featuring all of my arches. Shall it be a book? or a free-standing display? or something else? (hmmm, I haven't a clue just yet .... do you?)



I don't think I've shown my Halloween ATC from Carol T as well. My spider, on my Boo! ATC is actually tethered to the ATC, and can swing!


Look closely -- I have overlaid the original (and smallest) spider and Boo! on top of the swinging spider. The swinging spider gains momentum and swings up and over head, above the Boo!

It really is a cool idea to have the spider be a free-flying agent, don't you agree? Thank you Carol -- as always, your creativity delights me!

Last of today's assorted "this and that" pieces is my most recent work, my ATC for Marie's week #2 of our monthlong challenge. Marie is leading our Textile Challenges group in a creative challenge that is evolving slowly, one week at a time. In this week's challenge, we were directed to go to a room in our home where we do not "create our art" and select a random item to use as the focal point in our ATC. Then head to our sewing area, grab four items to use with it and make our ATC in 20 minutes.
So once again, we had to make speedy quick fast decisions and choices as we worked and stitched and created, remembering that a major goal of the challenge is to finish the ATC within the short time limit.

With those guidelines in mind, I grabbed a Q-tip from the bathroom cabinet, and went upstairs to meet this challenge head on.

The Q-tip was snapped in half, caught under a piece of layered tulle and fibers scrap from an earlier project, and tulle was scrunched and stitched over the top, with a piece of fake vinyl stuff finishing one edge. Too fast, not enough thought directing this challenge. I don't care for it very much. Oh, and I managed to finish this ATC just past past our 20 minute mark.

My newest ATCs

Last month I participated in Susan Lenz's amazing Cyber Fyber show -- including the International Random ATC Swap, held on January 17, 2009. Everyone around the world was encouraged to participate -- all you had to do was mail your ATC's with a stamped return envelope. A maximum of 3 ATCs could be traded with no restriction on age, location, or artistic medium. I traded two (they are at the end of this post).

My first envelope to arrive had this ATC tucked inside. Look closely. It is a photo of an alarm clock (it looks just like my old digital clock radio from ol' college dorm room days!) The time displayed is 6:00 a.m. Below the image is a clear simple statement: not good

These words echo my sentiments whenever I must arise early in the morning (I am a natural night owl who fortunately does not have to awaken before sunrise often). This thought provoking ATC was made by Amanda Graham (that's all I know -- Amanda, leave a comment if you find this post!)

My second envelope arrived the next day with this ATC tucked inside featuring 3 silk ribbon flowers and 2 tiny tatted butterflies.

This delicate creation was made by Pam Freck in Lexington, South Carolina, USA. I must ask you Pam, did you tat the butterflies yourself?

Here is a side view (just for fun & to see the dimension of this sweet ATC).


This is a peak at three ATCs I made after learning about the Cyber Fyber show. The red one was traded with Susan and was one of the 163 ATCs on display on the walls of Gallery 80808/Vista Studios in Columbia, South Carolina. The gold one lives with me as my memento of this fun challenge and show.

The third one, Space, has traveled to it's new home across the Atlantic Ocean. It now lives with Jean Toms, fiber artist in Devon, United Kingdom with a blog, Genies Art World, devoted to her fiber art and mixed media, and a second blog, Genies Photos, for her photography. This link connects directly to her comments on the Cyber Fyber ATC swap.



My spiderweb ATC has traveled in the other direction, crossing the Pacific ocean to its new home in Brisbane, Australia with Paula Hewitt. Her blog, The Beauty of Life, is filled with her various projects that range across a broad spectrum. There are tutorials on making polymer clay buttons & fabric books, photos of her embroidery & quilting projects, and best of all, her observations and comments on life and raising children.

This was fun in so many ways. First the excitement of trading postcards and ATCs directly with Susan Lenz, then seeing the entire show online, then waiting to receive the ATC's from the International Random ATC Swap and last of all, getting messages from the two who received my ATCs! Thank you Susan for enabling all this fun to happen!

People's Choice ... cast your votes!

The Cyber Fyber show at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios is open at last! If you are near downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA, pop into the Gallery and check it out!

I have learned that there will be a Best of Show award for the Postcards and ATCs, and also a People's Choice award for both categories. Please take a peak, leave a comment on my postcard, my ATC and on any of the others that tickle your fancy. My postcard is #223, featured here. My ATC is #139, featured here. If you list your postcard and ATC numbers in my comments below, I will return the favor by posting comments on your pieces.

Of course I really want you to enjoy looking at all the postcards and ATCs, leaving as many comments as you please -- that is what makes a true People's Choice Award! Click here for the entire Postcard exhibit and here to see all the ATCs.

Congrats and Thank you to Susan Lenz for organizing this phenomenal show! I love the story of how she entered the fiber art world -- read it here. Check out her daily blog dedicated to this exhibition here. I am honored and humbled to be a part of this international collection of fabulous fiber artists! Be sure to browse through these links ...

Cyber Fyber fun!

I've found a new internet inspired Fiber Art show, Cyber Fyber exhibit curated by Susan Lenz in Columbia, South Carolina.


CYBER FYBER is an exhibition of international fiber art scheduled for January 8th through 20th, 2009 at Gallery 80808/Vista Studios, 808 Lady Street in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, USA. The brainchild of Susan Lenz, this exhibit will focus on the supportive, global community of fiber artists with whom Susan regularly shares new techniques, contemporary approaches to textiles, and finished work by Internet websites and blogs. The exhibition will include three primary areas: Fiber ATCs (Artist Trading Cards); fiber postcards; and the work of several invited artists. The exhibition will also include FIBER DAY and ATC trading day. From the beginning, Susan Lenz is documenting CYBER FYBER on a blog/journal.

In Susan's own words:
When I first introduced CYBER FYBER on February 2, 2008 I had 163 Postcards and 130 ATCs. Before this time I'd never made an ATC and had only made seven or eight postcards for a few Internet friends as surprise Christmas presents two months earlier. I honestly thought it would take all year to trade this number but within six weeks all but about six ATCs were gone! I had to make another round of cards! As a result there are 267 postcards and 163 ATCs in CYBER FYBER. Most of the ATCs are gone. There are still postcards left....but WOW....the numbers are staggering!

Intrigued, I had to take a look and found both a postcard and an ATC to trade for. If you are interested in joining this show, take a peek at both the available postcards and the available ATCs. Remember Postcards measure to be 4" x 6" while ATCs are 2.5" x 3.5" Hurry as time is dwindling .....

"Cooler Days Ahead" is my piece that I have decided send to Susan, in trade for one of her fiber art postcards.


If you want to join this show, start by looking through the postcards/ATCs still available for trade, choose one that interests you -- then follow Susan's directions:
post a message at that postcard or ATC site stating "this is the one you want!" then email Susan directly with your snail mail. She will reply, letting you know you have made contact. Then simply mail your postcard &/or ATC so that she will receive your package in time for the fast approaching show.

Only one of each (postcard or ATC) can be traded, as this allows for a greater diversity of artists in the upcoming show!

My ATC collection begins

Last month I showed you the two ATCs that I had made and mailed off to friends in England. Here are the two that I received in return. They are the beginning of my ATC collection .... so they will always be very special to me.

The first one is made by my friend Carol Taylor, a fiber artist friend to whom Wales is home. She's also our Textile Challenges leader. Carol had made four ATCs which she posted on her blog (here), willing to trade to the first who requested them.
"Industry 3 of 4" features a hot glue gun squiggle, beading and a dash of copper stitched down by hand and machine embroidery.


Even before I finished the ATC I was making in return for Carol (see my post here), I joined one of our Textile Challenge swaps -- a lottery of hand-embroidered ATCs. After we signed up, she matched us randomly with names and stitches. Ati in Norway was matched with French Knots and my name! How fun to receive this international post.

Ati's embroidery is wonderful! She filled the entire surface with french knots stitched with different fibers and lovely colors.


I see a reclining lady in a field of heather, relaxing and loving every bit of it! What do you see?

ATCs

I have just finished my second ever ATC -- and here it is:


This is a Backstitch-Handstitch ATC for a lottery-swap in my Textile Challenges group that we held in June. Susan in Liverpool has patiently been waiting for me to finish this and send it her way. Meanwhile I received mine from Ati months ago and will add a photo of it soon (see my Sept. 6 post).


Below is the first ATC I ever made as a one-on-one swap with Carol T in Wales. Notice the size is a little wonky -- I wasn't sure of the actual dimensions that ATC's were meant to be. Always learning -- that's me! Carol is the leader of our Textile Challenges Yahoo! group. It is a great group because Carol is always coming up with innovative, fun challenges and swaps for us to try.


The top ATC is my second finished item for my personal UFO Olympics. Yep, I know -- it's small -- but it is now finished & soon will be in the mail overseas to Liverpool, original home of my favorite group, the Beatles!