What's the Purpose?

As I sit and create these silly little ATCs I wonder to myself if I'm wasting my time. Time that could be spent doing something valuable. Like my college class assignments. Or folding laundry. Or clipping coupons. I mean, it's not like I can sell these things. I'm not going to become an ATC millionaire or anything. I'm not going to have people knocking on my parlor door asking to see my gallery of art. So, what is the purpose? They are totally unnecessary. Or are they? If they are then so are Terry Redlin prints...and Mary Engelbreit calendars...and Hummel figurines...and Justin Young sculptures...and music...and friendship. Because you see, none of these things is needed to survive this life on earth. However, can you imagine a life void of color and design and texture? Can you envision living your life without a good friend or two? Can you even think about living this life without your faith? I can't. Now, I certainly cannot compare my art with any of the great artists' work but creating these miniature pieces brings me pleasure. C.S. Lewis said it all when he said, "Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."

Art Therapy

Dinking around with pretty papers and scraps, ribbon, lace, rubber stamps, buttons, crystal stones, and a haphazard deck of playing cards is calming. Dare I say it? Therapeutic. I joined an online ATC community where members can sign up for organized swaps. The swaps have varying criteria for each which helps stir some inspiration and creativity. The first one I signed up for was for ATCs that included stickers in the design. I thought that should be pretty safe...I mean, I can stick a sticker on a playing card and work around it and come up with something interesting. The second one is for whimsical, colorful, un-realistic portraits. That one has been a challenge for me...for someone who likes to follow the rules it's hard to break away from an idea of what something is supposed to look like and just play with it.

It's been nice just to play and create. Calming. Peaceful. Geeze... this sounds like an ad for bubble bath or something! Well, it has been relaxing for me. I've posted pictures of the Artist Trading Cards I've made on the side bar. Enjoy.

Artist Trading Cards!

Oh goodness! Have I found a new hobby or what? My friend Janeen introduced me to ATC today. She came over to do some paper art with me after she saw my post about scrapbooking through the Bible. She also brought me two lovely pieces of homemade paper that she created out of the tear-off part of the Netflix mailer. You can see the bright flecks of Netflix red in this lavender-hue paper. I was so impressed and so touched that she would think of me. Anyway, she brought her album of Artist Trading Cards. These are traditional baseball-trading card-sized works of art...some were painted, some were penned, some were papers and some were mixed media but they were all incredibly lovely and just as unique as the individual artists who created them. In Janeen's album there are tiny pieces of art from all over the world!

During our time of fellowship I completed my "F" page for my Scripture Scrapbook. I used a bit of the homemade paper and was so thrilled with how it turned out! Then, I promptly set about creating my miniature masterpieces! I used an ugly, bent, worn-out (or you could use a brand-spanking-new) playing card as my base. You can purchase ATC blank card stock "canvas" but I like the idea of using up those cards that have seen a few too many hours of canasta. Besides, I usually don't play with a full deck so re-purposing playing cards makes me feel ... um.... green.

I carefully tore a piece of the homemade paper into a rectangle roughly the size of the card. (I think there is some rule against using scissors on homemade paper, but I'm not sure.) I glued it to the card and then added some fabric scraps. I stamped a small piece of card stock with a quaint saying and brushed some ink around it and smudged the ink a bit. On purpose. Then I added a metal disc with an "r" on it. (I made this one for my friend Rachel.) I put some paper in a complimentary color on the back of the card because I didn't want the king of spades to show. I signed my creation (as all artists do) and admired my work.
Wanna see?

I made one for Janeen before she left (I didn't get a picture of that one). I'm looking forward to starting my own collection of ATC from around the world. I think I will buy one of these to display my collection as it grows.
Kinda neat, huh? Wanna trade with me? Leave me a comment and we'll make arrangements to trad ATC.