it started as an act challenge to

use cardboard in any way.

i also added a personal challenge of 

using a minimal amount of supplies 

that i already have and to make it 

with a simple design.   i like the results.

little trees.  perfect for the holidays!



something on my mind....

i recently read several long time bloggers

discussing the state of blogging today.  with all

of the recent and easy social media like instagram,

twitter, etc.  and the decrease in the number of responses on blogs,

 the question posed was whether blogging and even Facebook

are on their way out?  i certainly have wondered myself.  after

discovering and falling in love with instagram, i all but abandoned

this blog and Facebook.  it was unintentional but i fell down the rabbit hole of

visual stimulation, easy posting and simple clicking to heart a post.

i met new folks who shared similar interests and even ran into some

in person at workshops.  but, it was pointed out that on these new sites

you do not get the deeper relationships available with longer responses

and answers.  nor can you as a blogger write more fully on a subject.

in this wide wide world there is something for everyone.

some people who read my blog never visit and comment on Facebook or

instagram and visa versa.  all social media takes time and effort.  weighing

what is important with how much time and value one gets from the investment

is a personal decision.  after reading the discussion on the state of blogging

today i recommitted to this blog and am so glad that i have!

i would love to hear your response.  

sending best wishes to you during the season

of giving and gratefulness.  thank you for visiting today.

hello to weekly  paint party friday

friends and to kristen and eva, our hostesses

mixed media atc 

the annual gallery in the garden show in august was so much fun ... and 

a lot of work.  in the aftermath i found piles of deferred work that needed attending.  

one of the projects was to create an artist trading cards for my international

group.  i was already late submitting my card. the theme was 'about me'

or 'about my country.'   i did not have a notion of where to start until i perused my photos

and was reminded of ancestors.  it struck a cord.  i would not be me without them.

so i combined a photo of me and a photo of them.  here is the resulting card.

i celebrated my birthday at the getty villa with friends 

this week. i had never visited the  villa even though it is 

in my back yard.  it was a splendid day.

 i share some of the beauty.  

and i thought you might like to see some of the beauty.

have a lovely weekend.

ps   at 8:57am it was 81 degrees.  

crazy!

posting with paint party friday.  thanking eva and kristen

for hosting this group of artists each friday.

if you are not familiar with artist trading cards, 

or ATCs, they are 2.5 x 3.5 inch little pieces of art.

the artist is free to create using any medium.  

i belong to an international atc group.  

we have a different themes which we use as a guideline 

and mail our art to the other members six times a year.  

my friend john and i are the only members from the us.  

others hail from england, sweden, germany, new zealand,

 and isreal.  it is such a pleasure to go to my 

mail box and find and envelope, often decorated

with a surprise tiny piece of art.  some days, to extend 

the intrigue,  i just let the envelope sit on my desk unopened 

and imagine what delight is inside waiting for me.

recently, i participated in another trade with a group of 

ten from an online workshop.

artist trading cards, 2015