wow! a sneak peek for marion bockelmann's 4x4's

Yes! I can tell that Marion Bockelmann in Germany was also inspired by the current theme (and swap) of roads + paths just like I was. Yikes, I am totally in love with what Marion has created already! I am quite fond of Marion's style anyway and follow her blog - bockel24 but her 4x4's really 'hit me' when I saw them with their use of quotes, color, stamping, paint, and just the feeling they evoke. I will scan Marion's 4x4's when they arrive here in the US and share them with you on the creative swaps blog, but if you would like a sneak peek (you do!) - go look at the Roads + Paths post Marion put up today! ThAnK yOu Marion!

4x4 collage swap - roads + paths: lenna andrews, Cortez, FL (set #1)

Well! I was not planning on doing this, but I jumped in and made six - 4x4's - on the theme of roads + paths. I made four for the swap and 2 extras. I figured I could keep one, maybe use the other one for a prize, or I might even make another set! These were a quick jump into this swap and did not take long to do. What you see here is one answer to the challenge I have thrown out . . . . I think I was itching to work on this theme! I started by printing photos I was interested in working with onto digital textured paper by Strathmore, that is designed to be like watercolor paper. I printed out 2 images per sheet, 4" x 6" size - and after printing them  I cut the images down to the 4"x 4" size for our swap.

I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to do with my 4x4 images on this sturdy paper, but then I remembered creating some cool ATCs by printing images with my ink jet printer and then using a wet brush to play with the ink from the printer.

 

So, I decided to try the same thing with my road + path images . . .

                               

It is a little hard to see in the photos -look on the path in the image above- but wetting the inkjet ink on a watercolor type paper like this creates some interesting effects. Below is how all my images looked after I used a wet brush on them. You can see the original photos on my flickr account set: roads + paths.

                                         
I wanted to add words and had to think a while on how I wanted to do it. I ended up rubber stamping what I felt were words that connected to the images, on the front of my 4x4's and then doing a little bit of journaling for the back. This process reminded me of the journal quilts I created in 2007; meaning the journaling I did on the back. The writing was done on a separate piece of paper, typed up on the computer, and then glued to the back of the watercolor piece. The rubber stamping was done with a thick, black VersaCraft ink pad and then set with a heat gun for permanence and also because VersaCraft is a very wet ink. This gave me the sharp, dark look I wanted.

Below is each 4x4 with the back of the piece showing, prior to being glued together. You'll need to click on each scan to see all the details.

                           
                              
                              
                                

and lastly . . . 

                                      

yikes! Sorry for the extra long post, but I wanted to show you how I approached this challenge. Remember, this is just one way to go about it! I have left you a lot of options - read all the swap details here. We've had 10 people signed up already, so there are about 30 spots left . . .  room for you! 

lenna young andrews - February 26th, 2010

4” x 4” collage Swap (4) due April 24: Roads & Paths

                                            

-creative swaps 2010: swap #2 

A 4” x 4” collage Swap (4) 

• What: a mixed media 4x4 Collage Swap using fabric, paper, digital, or a combination. 

Create four 4 inch x 4 inch collages - all identical or all different and receive (4) 4x4’s in return.

• Theme: Roads + paths: All roads lead home? The road less traveled? Hmmmm. This theme can be taken literally using images of roads and paths -- or not. When creating for this swap you can work from ideas like: The roads I’ve traveled, the paths I have taken, the road I am traveling at this moment or the paths and roads I would like to take. You should take this theme and run with it (down the road!!) You may prefer to work on a literal level with images of roads and paths, ones you have actually traveled or perhaps ones you have not, that appeal to you. Alternately, you may take this theme and create your collages more figuratively based on the “roads” or “paths” you are taking, have taken or want to take. In this respect think: life choices, career choices, relationship choices, how you spend your day kind of choices, friend choices, things like that. You may even combine literal images of roads + paths with something more figurative. I have some images to inspire you that you can use for the swap, if you like: roads + paths. 

• Any Medium: Paint, paper, magazine pages, photos, digital, fabric, sewing, water color, drawing . . . you choose the medium(s) you want to work with.

• Due IN my Mailbox no later than Saturday, April 24th, 2010. I reserve the right to return any late swaps received after 4/24/2010 and send them back to the sender. Allow 5-7 days mail time within the US and 7-14 days outside of the US.

• TWO sets of 4 - is the maximum you are allowed to submit for this swap and you must register for each set that you submit ($7.50 per set). Register on the creative swaps blog twice, and I will know you are sending in 2 sets.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS SWAP: 

Use the ‘pay now’ PayPal button on creative swaps blog - look in the side bar for a yellow button. The $7.50 fee to register for this swap is your non-refundable payment for postage, handling, and organization pertaining to the swap. PayPal is a free on-line bank service- find out more here. The $7.50 fee covers all costs for return mailing of one set of 4x4’s - both within and outside of the U.S.A. - I will confirm your registration via email and include additional swap information, inspiration and my mailing address to send your swap art to. If the email you have listed with PayPal is not the correct one for me to correspond with, please notify me of your correct email. If you have sent a PayPal registration and have not received confirmation from me within 48 hours please email me directly.

The perks!  Anyone who completes the swap will have a chance to win via a random drawing a 4" x 4" collage created by me. Additionally, one participant will be chosen for the most creative collage artwork and this person will be awarded free participation in the next creative swap! 

• All collages must be 4” x 4” in size (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm) 

• your collages can be all paper, all fabric or some of both

• your collages could also be digital, printed out and mounted on a 4” x 4” card

• your 4x4’s can be ALL the SAME design - ALL different - or a mix 

• any media may be used in creating

• photos, magazines, your own drawing or painting – all is okay! 

-This swap is limited to 40 players-

i hope you enjoy this new swap! lenna young andrews - February 25th, 2010

wrapping up: Love Gone Wild ATC Swap!!

Well! This was certainly a fun swap. Even though I only first announced this swap about 6 weeks ago, after arriving here in Florida, there were 29 sets of 4 ATCs that came in on time from around the world: Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, and all over the USA too!
As promised, I have 3 prizes to award.

Prize Number 1:

Casie Metcalf of Vintage Image Madness has donated a free monthly subscription to her wonderful downloadable vintage images on her site, as a sponsor of this swap. She has also donated a free package of vintage goodies for each participant, which will be included in with your swaps. To randomly choose two of the prizes, I used the list I made of all the participants as they joined up, which was numbered  . . .

and then i used Random.org to randomly pick 2 different participants. For the Vintage Image Madness Monthly Subscription, #5 was chosen (see it in blue below) which = Barbara Roberts in Florida! Casie will be sending you all the details on your gift, Barbara : ) congratulations, great prize! 

Number 2 prize in this swap was for a collage I created, just for this swap . . .

The randomly picked second number was # 31 = Sarah Boblit from Iowa! See her number chosen in blue below. I will be sending this collage to you along with your swapped ATCs, Sarah. Congratulations!

The last prize is one that I chose myself for what I considered to be the most creative ATCs in the entire swap. The winner of this prize will receive Free registration to the next creative swap of their choice. All they have to do is email me and remind me! For this prize, I chose Donna Butcher for her very creative love letter-complete with envelope and love note ATCs! Such an awesome idea that I had never seen before.

Congratulations to Donna and thank you to all!
I have the ATCs swapped out on paper, and will work hard to get them packaged up and in the mail to you ASAP. I will be announcing another creative swap, but not until next week. I hope to see you sign up, I'm planning on hosting a 4" x 4" collage swap and still working out the final details.

Thank you for a wonderful swap with awesome participation! lenna young andrews - February 16th, 2010

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #29: Betty Lou Cassidy, New Jersey

From Betty Lou Cassidy in New Jersey, we have our last set of ATCs that I am expecting for this swap, as today is the due date and I have received my mail!

Betty Lou, I am so glad your ATCs made it as they are so beautiful with your beading, flowers & images. Thanks so much for participating in another creative swap!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #28: Joanie Hoffman, Maryland

From Joanie Hoffman in Maryland, 4 delicious Love gone Wild fabric ATCs have made it to my post office box in Florida, despite 26" of snow one day and another 10" of snow a few days later, where Joanie lives in Maryland!  (no, i do not miss the snow!) Thank goodness yesterday was a Holiday and we had an extra day for arrivals, as I love the beading and WILD colors on Joanie's ATCs! Thanks for playing in another one of my creative swaps, Joanie : 0 ) . . .  p.s. Joan wrote me these notes about creating her ATCs that i just found: The front & backs are made from fabric from Africa, and almost all of the beads are African Christmas beads (3 at each corner are Beadazzled beads).  The photo of Tarzan & Jane was printed on printable fabric (commercial) and then hand colored in places with my Inktense watercolor pencils, working directly from the pencil itself.
wow, thanks!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #27: Casie Metcalf, Maine

From Casie Metcalf in Maine we have our 27th set of ATCs. : ^ )
Casie is the proud owner of Vintage Image Madness and she is sponsoring our Love Gone Wild swap with a free vintage image "goody pack" for each participant (see below). Thank you so much for your generosity - and your wonderful ATCs, Casie!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #26: Kitty Mitchell, New York

From Kitty Mitchell in New York, we have received set #26! Kitty's ATCs are hand-colored transparencies, something I've never seen before - wow. So cool, thank you Kitty, for participating!
p.s. Kitty has added some instructions -just click on Comments!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #25: Lisa Robinson, Alabama

Set #25 in our Love Gone Wild ATC swap is from Lisa Robinson in Alabama. Lisa and I are in an Altered book group together, and in fact, I have her book to work in at the moment! For our swap, Lisa has sent in 4 ATCs with very strong romantic images, some are definitely from ARTchix Studio. I really like the backgrounds Lisa used, is it scrapbook paper? This background provides a lovely contrast to her images.
Thanks, Lisa!

Note! There are just two mail days left for me to receive ATCs for this swap; the deadline is Monday, February 15th.   My fingers are crossed as there are 6 sets I am still expecting to receive. On the 15th or 16th of February I will update and close the swap, announce all of the winners and get working on swapping these ATCs out to the participants! Prizes: there will be a random drawing for a 4" x 4" collage I created on the 'Love Gone WIld' theme, a random drawing for the lovely donated prize of a one month's subscription to free downloadable images from Vintage Image Madness and one deserving participant will receive a free registration to my next swap - for the most creative ATCs in this swap. (in my opinion!) 
I plan on announcing my next swap the week of Feb 22nd, so stay tuned . . . . .

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #24: Christy Laudig, Indiana

From Christy Laudig in Indiana we have another set of 4 wonderful ATCs for our Love Gone Wild swap. They are so romantic! Christy used an eyelet to attach double pink hearts to card stock that I believe she embossed first with a heart shape. Look for the picture of the back of her ATCs below to get a better idea. For more of Christy's artwork, go to her blog: Christine's Chronology.
Thanks so much for joining us, Christy!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #23: Donna Eck, California

Wow, it is like Christmas when I was a kid around here, opening all these wonderful packages of ATCs for our Love Gone Wild Swap. Donna Eck in California sent in some ATCs that are unusual and wild in their own way! look at the back of these . . .

Donna's ATCs are made on a Bingo board that has been cut to ATC size.

I love her "sensibilty" in how she put these together. Thanks, Donna. I so enjoyed receiving and studying these little works of art. Thank you for the special ephemera you enclosed for me too. : 0 )

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #22: Kate North, New Malden UK

oh my, I think things are growing wildly in Kate's English Garden!!
Truthfully, what a great idea Kate came up with for our swap. I love her fabric and paper ATCs. Thanks so much, Kate for participating in so many of my swaps.

Kate has a blog, Kate's Quilting and other fiber arts - go there to see and read a bit more!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #21: Lisa Mallette, Florida

Wow, some really gorgeous and rich looking ATCs from Lisa Mallette have arrived. Lisa made an extra one and sent it to me as a gift, so you will see five ATCs pictured here.
Lisa has a blog called Studio Rose and if you follow that link you will go to a post about these ATCs and some additional ones Lisa made. I always enjoy introducing you to new art blogs!

Check out all of Lisa's ATCs including the lovely stamp she used for the back below....

so beautiful!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #20: Sharon Walworth, Rhode Island

Set #20 has arrived, from Sharon Walworth in Rhode Island!

Sharon wrote to me and I quote,
"I had fun working out of my stash......the denim background is actually from a pair of worn size 10 shorts (I'll never see that size again!)  and the backing is fabric that has been with me since I started quilting in late 80's.  The image is Luna girl digital, and the saying.....well, remember the wonderful movie of that title? It was about a blind girl who jumped horses from tall diving platforms. Perfect for this image: don't you love it when everything comes together?" (yes!!! )

Thank you Sharon, I always love your contributions to my swaps!

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #19: Donna Butcher, California

Donna Butcher has created ATCs with a definite creative twist that I don't think I've ever seen before. She made her ATCs into envelopes and enclosed love notes!!

This is one of those hidden benefits of hosting a swap. I think it makes any of the work worth it -seeing and holding all these great ideas and beautiful cards in my hands, and getting to share them all with you.
A closer look at Donna's way-cool idea is below - you can click on any scan for more detail.

Fabulous idea, Donna!! Thanks so much for participating! : 0  ) lenna

ATC Swap: Love gone wild set #18 Sue Fujii, Nevada

Wow! I love these ATCs from Sue Fujii for our swap. Sue wrote me that this was the first time she made ATCs, even though she had purchased four books about them. Great job Sue, and definitely 'up to par'!
Very creative too, i love what you've done  : 0 )

Sue wrote that she had a great time coming up with a design for her ATCs on a Love Gone Wild theme . . . her friend Donna Eck had encouraged her to try one of my challenges/swaps. Sue freely admits that she is absolutely "in love" with the Il Divo (means Italian Divine male Performer) singing group and decided to put her make believe fantasies on paper with love letters to each of them : )  Sue said she tried to keep the ATCs in a dream-like state with the use of a sheer ribbon. 

Thanks so much Sue, i love hearing the thinking behind your design!