Catherine Mommsen: 3x3 Art Squares

Over the weekend I received Catherine Mommsen's 6 wonderful Art Squares to enjoy and swap, yippee! Catherine creates cyanotypes, does pen & ink art and creates handstitched artist books. This is her 5th Creative Swap, starting in 2011 with the Little Book Swap. She made 4 tiny books for that swap, you can view them there following that link! 

I have seen many of Catherine's cyanotypes on her Instagram account: Cyandiary.2023 and I knew these were cyanotype pieces, but they didn't have the sun printing that I usually associate with it. So I asked Catherine about that and I am going to quote what she explained to me... 

"You are right about cyanotype.  A mineral solution is mixed and applied to a substrate.  This produces a UV sensitive “film”.  Anything you place on the film before exposing it to UV light blocks the light and creates the image. What is left exposed develops into lovely blues.  There are many ways to manipulate the process. In this case, I re-used failed cyanotype prints by painting solution over the piece, exposing it to sunlight again, but rather than blocking the sunlight to create an image, I leave it blank to get the lovely Prussian blue color, and then create the image by drawing on it with white ink.  So these cards are basically white ink on paper dyed with cyanotype solution/wash." 

Her pen and ink work is so detailed and the Prussian blue so rich and deep. I am glad to have six of her squares to swap! She also went above and beyond and gifted me a beautiful handstitched artist book I had admired on her separate Instagram account that holds her stitching & drawing: imajicaamadoro. 

I've made an album to share the handstitched book, if you'd like to see it, please go here.

Thank you, Catherine!! 

Looking forward to seeing all of your entries -in my hands by November 20th! I have received six swap entries, including my own and am expecting 12 more. :) 

Gunvor Storck: 3x3 Art Squares

I'm happy to announce that more Art Squares have arrived for our Creative Swap, this time from Sweden! It took 2 weeks for this international mail to arrive. Even mail delivery within the U.S. can take 3-5 days, so make sure to plan for your swaps to arrive in my mailbox by November 20th.

Gunvor Andersson Storck has sent in six squares. Three of them have a watercolor background, complete with splatters (my favorite) and on top of that, she rubberstamped flowers in black. Then images of sweet little girls were cut out to add and Gunvor gave them 'music sheet' paper wings! 

I'm pretty sure the background on the other three squares is made from washi tape strips... the black & white contrast really adds energy to the small squares. And it looks like she rubberstamped the tulips, added watercolor and then cut them out. They are glued down and then the squares were finished with some great sayings...  Brilliant!

Gunvor joined Creative Swaps for the first time in 2008, for the Valentine Ornament Swap. Since then, over the years she participated in the Little Books swap and also 'By The Sea' ATCs.... They can all be viewed HERE. This marks her 4th swap with me! Thanks so much for your participation, Gunvor, I'm so glad that you have joined us again. 

Heather Clawson: 3x3 Art Squares

Today I received 6 wonderful 3x3 Art Squares from Heather Clawson in Georgia. She also made an extra one for me, which is very kind (but not required). I love that her squares are different from the previous Art Squares we've received: Laura's, Sabine's and the ones I made. If you are not looking at the Creative Swaps Blog, go there, scroll down, and you'll be able to see the earlier submissions. 

Heather used a Sharpie waterproof pen to draw a variety of horses and then used watercolor pencils to individualize each one. I love the style of her drawings and how each horse has a different personality because of the way she colored them. Heather include a self-addressed envelope that had a postage stamp featuring a horse as well! 

Postage is included in this swap, so no worries about that. If you wish, instead of a self-addressed envelope, you can include a medium size self addressed mailing label (not a small return address type, please). Or, clearly write your address on an appropriate size piece of paper for an envelope! Any of these methods makes it easier and quicker for me to return your swapped Art Squares to you.

This is Heather's first Creative Swap! She belongs to an Artist Trading Card group on Facebook but searched the web for another "small art" swap to do. Welcome, Heather! We are lucky to have you. 

There are 5 weeks to get them delivered to me! ALL Art Squares need to be IN MY HANDS on November 20th to be part of the swap. I can't wait to receive yours!  :0) Lenna

Sabine Busch: 3 x 3 Art Squares

All the way from Germany, we have received 3 art squares for the swap. Sabine added an extra one for me... thank you, Sabine. I love it when a participant sends me an extra one, but it's not required at all. 

Just for your info, it took 3 weeks for Sabine's art squares to travel from Germany to Florida. I'd say this is typical of the amount of time it takes for international mail. Sometimes, the mail comes in as little as 5 days and other times it takes 5 weeks! So if if your mailing internationally, please do so soon. ALL of your swaps must be in my hands by November 20th to be included in our art squares swap. 

Without further ado, here are Sabine's ART Squares! 

Sabine told me she used Lynn Perrella rubber stamps, combined with collage to create her squares. Aren't they beautiful? I admire Sabine's talent in filling a small card so full of art! Sabine has been with me since 2010 and this is her 10th Creative Swap! Here is a link to all her creative swap entries.

See you in the mail! 

Laura Hummel: 3 x 3 Art Squares!

The very first entry for our 3x3 Art swap has arrived in my mailbox! Laura Hummel from Maryland has sent in 6 squares. They are all different... collage, doodles with acrylic markers, layers & drawing. I love the variety and I always enjoy seeing her art in my swaps. ;0)

Laura has participated in Creative Swaps since 2010! She has made and swapped postcards, ATCs, Little Books, Prayer Flags, Vintage Note cards, Mail Art and more! 

Here are the Art Squares Laura sent in for this swap:

Thank you! 

I am so excited to start sharing what you have created. I love the variety of responses that come in, I find it inspirational. Keep them coming! They must be received by November 20th!