Friday, September 10, 2010

When to hold 'em and when to fold 'em.

I'm not a poker player but this came to mind. What to do with this 100/100 project? I'm having a really hard time keeping up. Actually I'm not keeping up. I'm about 15 days behind. Between taking care of the business and taking care of prior art commitments, I'm just wiped out. And of course that's all on top of taking care of the family and house... sigh. It seemed so easy at the beginning. Just a little index card a day. Doesn't take a lot of time. I think I'm making things too complicated. Well, I'm not giving up yet, but I'm thinking about it... do I need the stress? Maybe this is a lesson in letting go. Learning to say "no" or "I can't". Or can I? Originally I challenged myself to use products from Stewart Gill/Artistcellar.com on each card. Most of my cards follow that rule but I decided I'm not going to beat myself up about it anymore. If it happens, it happens.


Well, I have a few more to show you anyway. Who knows what'll happen in the next 50 days? Here's number 10, done on canvas, graffiti style with different colors of Stewart Gill True Colour paints.
 Number 11 is also SG paint on canvas but I used the Mini Cosmic Bubbles Stencil to make the pattern. 
Another painted canvas base for number 12 but this time I used a brass tree stencil over the SG painted background. I bought the stencil at the CHA craft supershow. I used dimensional glue and glitter to glitz it up. Yes, those blobs are really sparkly!
I was feeling good when I made number 13. I was caught up and decided to tell the world! Painted canvas background but I used another brass stencil with Stewart Gill Galactica glitter paint for the design. These really don't photograph well. It's really pretty and sparkly, I promise!
I went back to paper with number 14. I think I was working on a Marie Antoinette project at the time and had some leftover scrap paper. I dribbled Fresco Flakes on the background.
Number 15 has NOTHING to do with using my store products. My friend Arlene was drawing all these fabulous faces and I was inspired to try to draw a face from a picture. This is what happened. Drawing faces is not a strength of mine. It's an act of desperation to actually use this as a page and show you. A prize goes out to the person who can tell me who this is supposed to be a picture of! 
Numbers 16 and 17 are experiments in felting. My daughter got bit by the wool felting bug and showed me how to do it. Number 16 is an under the sea theme, I used some Glitterati fibers in there, and some hand beading. Number 17 is an abstract. 
I found a foam kitty stamp at the resale shop and tested it out for number 18. I normally don't do "cute" but I was feeling fond of "Skitters" the neighbors kitten that came to visit and catch gophers. I think the background is a wash of Pearlise paint while the cat is stamped with Byzantia.
For number 19 I wanted to try something different. I started out with a Byzantia, which is shimmery and wanted to drip some matte True Colour paint over it to get some visual texture.  I like the way it turned out.
Numbers 20 and 21 are simple collages using magazine images. Backgrounds are painted with my SG piants. I love the fish image. Number 21's background I used an old security envelope painted with a wash of color. You know those envelopes with the interesting patterns inside? I figured there must be a use for those somewhere!

That's enough for now. I've got about 10 more done but have to add numbers to some of them. But by the time I actually get around to photographing them and posting them I might have another 30 done and be completely caught up. Or maybe not. Only time will tell.

10 comments:

  1. Lisa-I love looking at all your cards and the different paints show up nicely. My favorite is the guy who is tied up--made me laugh---and i liked seeing how he fresco flakes looked. The glitterati is really nice too. Great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Take a deep breath and then another step. Your cards are wonderful. I'm especially drawn to frustration for some reason. I think because it shows it so well.
    Thanks for sharing all of these.
    Huggles

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lisa - you may be behind on the 100 days challenge, but I love what you have done!! I, myself, have decided to let go of the challenge because I got so far behind and then it just wasn't fun any more. I think I have forgiven myself for it. Time will tell. LOL. There is no point to giving ourselves a hard time over it!
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your cards are awesome!!! It is totally understandable, though, to be overwhelmed by the challenge. It should not be a chore. Maybe take a break for now - make it a 100 card challenge, just drop the 100 day part.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The point is to learn enjoy and express your creativity. Please don't make a joy into a chore. I did the same thing with reading the Bible - do it in a year! Instead of learning enjoying and understanding by Spring I was saying "crap I have to read." Change gears and the goal will be enjoy lots and try new stuff. I am impressed you get this stuff posted! I just bought some incredible ruffly can-can fabric 53% off at Hancock Fabrics. Skirts for the girls? a shell for me? Halloween costume? Cant wait to cut!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lisa I love what you are doing. Each one is a little masterpiece. I hear your frustration about being behind. Sometimes life just happens. Do not let your frustration get the best of you. Just do what you can when you can - enjoy it. What you have done so far is magnificent.

    ReplyDelete
  7. These are fantastic, and so varied. I hope you get to carry on, but don't be too hard on yourself if you don't.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I can't imagine even signing up for such a thing, much less actually doing it. I don't think I can count that high. I say, do what makes you happy and forget the rest when it becomes a chore. (Or wait, was that what I was saying about my laundry?)

    ReplyDelete
  9. OK who is the guy, I give up.

    ReplyDelete
  10. lisa!! your cards are magnifico!! ;) you put sooo much into them compared to me... i just diddle a few minutes into mine and that is that! :) really love the paints and collages, etc... and YES!!! do it b/c it's fun....not b/c it's a chore... please stop yourself if you've let it get the best of you... it is for YOU alone!! :) xxoxooxsmooches!

    ReplyDelete

I am so grateful for every single comment you leave. Thank you for hearing me.