Are you an ATC fan?

I most certainly am, and I trade with other artists as often as possible.  When I had the opportunity to trade with one of my all-time favourite artists, Deann Williams of The Whimsey Asylum, I was practically over the moon.

Not only did she send me 10 ATCs, she also sent this gorgeous hand-crafted card and a lovely note as well.  Since Deann no longer creates anything but digital work, I feel very fortunate to have received such a cornucopia of physical pieces.

This ATC, 'A Kiss to Build a Dream On' is truly the image that I most equate with Deann.  It always makes me laugh.

'Highway in the Sky' has my mind wandering over the heavens as I accompany the butterfly on that delightful zebra.

I can't stop laughing at  'Mona and the Fly', and given that this is not the only 'Mona' she's done, I think you should check the rest of them out too.

The soulful 'Angel Eyes' has a little bit of Win Dinn in the background...I love seeing my photos appear in Deann's work.

'Snow Papa' is particularly apt given the package's arrival so close to Father's Day.  This was the last hand-painted ATC that Deann had from her pre-digital days, so I feel fortunate to be the recipient!

'Sky Music' thrills me with the thought of celestial delights...can you imagine what music would come from that instrument?!

'Puffin Magic makes me think of my friends over at Puffin Design - they'd LOVE this one!

'Breaking Out' reminds me of my son Barry as a child...always trying to get out of the box and into something different!

'Uncle Steven's Fantastic Flying Machine' is like nothing I could imagine - which is exactly why The Whimsey Asylum gives me such pleasure!

My favourite, 'Contemplating Bubbles' has my dryer sheet curtains in the background, and the ethereal quality of the girl child is pure delight.

For sheer visual pleasure, I recommend you stop to visit The Whimsey Asylum.  I never know whether I'll be roaring with laughter or be blown away by exquisite beauty, but it's always amazing.

On another note, I managed to attend a fabulously fun workshop with Lynne Mizera at Fly in the Fibre this past week, and had a lovely afternoon creating a couple of small paintings, both of which were started on canvas boards covered with mop-up paper towels.  Lynne's a whiz at using unconventional materials of all sorts, and much fun.

Because we were such hard workers, we had time to create some spray backgrounds as well...I'll let you know what happens with these!

I also managed to start the free online Women Unleashed  Retreat.  It's not too late to start, so do pop over and have a go.  You can do as much or as little of it (and there's a huge variety covered in the 10 days), and if all I manage is the journal start, I'll be happy.

Front Cover of 'Palimpsest' journal for Women Unleashed Retreat

Back cover of Palimpsest journal for Women Unleashed Retreat

The ten days of doodling over the last couple of weeks came in handy for this cover, and now I'm totally obsessed with patterns again.

And just in case you've not had enough visuals in today's post, do stop in to see the Material Change show in Kimberley, BC.  It features Darcy Wanuk, Alison & Bart Bjorkman of Puffin Design, and yours truly in an amazing collection of repurposing, recycling and reinvention of the art concept.  

Here's hoping you've had a terrifically creative week too.  Let me know what you've been up to in the comments below please, and do provide a link to your own doings.  We all know how to copy and paste.

Fun to the max...

...and some great results are the two labels I'd put on last weekend's Gelli playshop.

These ladies really know how to party with paint!  Being such a colour nerd I was beyond impressed that Becca managed to not only colour-coordinate her shirt and scarf with the tablecloth, but then did a print to match!

Mel and Britney look totally engrossed as they wield their weapons.

Linda and Carol are equally intent, and you can tell by the array of prints surrounding them that they have been very busy!

I wonder what Gay is contemplating here - throwing paint at Becca, perhaps?

Britney is justifiably proud of this beauty!

Prints on paper, prints on fabric, prints on aprons and prints on hands!  It truly was kids' day at Fly in the Fibre!

The prints were amazing - so much lusciousness!  I'm going to zip it until the end so you can enjoy the variety, texture and pattern.

Whenever I do a class, my texture templates change colour, and I just had to show you this mouth-watering drywall compound template after Saturday's playshop - gorgeous, no?  It's absolutely frameable!

Thanks again to all you  adventurous women - you made my day!  Thanks, too, to Fly in the Fibre for such an awesome space!  We're quite likely to be reconnecting there in the fall, so keep your eyes open for playshop dates.

Things are flying...

...in the studio, and it's obvious there's something afoot.  Luckily, you get to hear about it first!

This coming Saturday is the Kootenay Fibre Arts Festival and I'll be there doing mono-print demos on the Gelli Plate.  Best  part?  If you attend, you get to try it too!

Creating a mono-print is great fun, whether on paper

Gelli-print on paper using masks, stencils and bubble wrap

or fabric, (sorry, we're not showing any printed body parts in this family-friendly post, no matter what the poster infers)

Gelli print on fabric using cheesecloth as stencil

and it starts to get really interesting when you add Inktense Pencils

Inktense pencil work on fabric Gelli-printed with fun foam template

and/or the incomparable Art Foamies  (created right here in Creston, BC!) to the mix.

ArtFoamie stamped on Gelli-printed fabric

Want some even better news about this Saturday and the Kootenay Fibre Arts Festival?  When you attend, and register for this upcoming playshop

you'll get your choice of an added bonus.  Choose from a selection of  hand-cut stencils (yes, that's yours truly slaving over a hot stencil burner and sheets of cold house wrap), or an ArtFoamie stamp (Remember above where I told you they're incomparable?  Truth!)

One of eight house-wrap stencils to be given away - each unique

Only on Saturday, April 22 and at the Kootenay Fibre Festival will you have this opportunity - unbelieveable (barely), not to be repeated (this year anyway), and truly totally amazing!  

The benefits are legion.  The playshop is highly entertaining whether you're a fibre freak, a creative looking for a place to play and learn, or an established artist in any medium.  After making some 800+ prints for my own entertainment, I can safely say that it's more fun than you can possibly imagine!  You say you don't have any experience in creating art?  You don't need it!  No skills? They come in the learning package - no extra charge - and heavily disguised as fun.

If you've taken any of my other playshops, you'll know they are stress-busters that promote a desire for more, more and more creative fun.  If you're a newbie, you're going to love it!  This Saturday - come and register.