Play it Forward

I got this from Belinda Spiwak's Blog: http://www.alteredbelly.blogspot.com/ who got it from another blog...

I will send a handmade gift and some other art goodies to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog to this entry requesting to join this ‘Play It Forward’ exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it 2-3 months. It depends on what I am working on at the time.

The only thing you have to do in return is ‘Play It Forward’ by making the same promise on your blog with a link back to me at http://christinemarieart.blogspot.com/. So basically, if you comment, I’ll send you a handmade gift that I have made! Email me privately at chris@christinemarieart.com with your full name, address, and blog link. I will reply back and confirm that you are one of the first 3 people to comment and will be "paying or playing" it forward.

So, to be clear, the first 3 people who comment on this post will get a handmade piece of art from me. In return, you must post a similar message on your blog and send out 3 handmade pieces/gifties to other artists. Good luck and have fun!

Boston Handmade

I'm excited to announce that I've been accepted into the "Boston Handmade" group of artists. Founded in March '07, Boston Handmade is a group of Etsy sellers based in MA. Boston Handmade is a gathering of colleagues who support one another in the pursuit of each other's respective craft, who act as resources for each other, and who create opportunities for group promotion. I'm looking forward to being an active member of this group!

Search "Boston Handmade" on ETSY to see this more from this talented group of artists.

VASTabulous Valentine Treasury at ETSY

As a member of the VAST (Visual Art Street Team) at ETSY, I love the valentine treasury of handmade goodies and gifts that was just put together! Take a look:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=24315

Fabric Heart Quilties

So here's what I've been doing with my sewing machine. I joined a swap in one of the Yahoo Groups I belong to (mixed media art)that involves 4" x 6" fabric quilts. This was a challenge as I really haven't worked alot with fabric, and have NEVER used a sewing machine until last week. The easy part was creating the designs, which I printed on various fabrics from Color Textiles. The hard part was putting them all together, but I think they came out pretty well, considering. The surprising part was that I found out that I love using fabric, and the sewing machine!

Clueless buys a sewing machine

What an exciting day for me! Up until now I have been completely clueless about sewing machines. But I went out and bought one today! Well, I'm still clueless, but I was able to thread the bobbin, the needle, and make the damn thing work!!! Yay!! The model I bought was a Brother CE-4000 because it seemed non-threatening enough, and was within my budget. It's got 40 built-in stitches, and can sew through multiple layers of heavy fabric, which I hope means I can use it as part of some mixed media pieces. Anyway, just so I can remember this extremely momentous occasion (right!) here is my first practice stitch.

Moving Forward - Digital Collage

It seems like so long since I've done a digital collage. Really, it hasn't been that long, it just seems that way because we've been so busy with the holidays and some family obligations.

This piece I like because it seems to me the woman is leaving a threatening or oppressive situation and moving on to something more positive! On to a brighter 2008!

Having Fun with Color Plus Silk Fabrics from Color Textiles

I bought some of the Color Plus® silk fabrics from Color Textiles and I really love them! The color prints from my Epson 2200 comes out great and the feel of the fabric is so nice. I'm using them for a fabric quilt swap I joined...it's a bit challenging as I don't own a sewing machine (!)...but it's fun and I'm learning something new.

New Year's Art Resolutions

One look at this mess and I know I have some New Year's Resolutions to make.
1. Clean the studio. Organize. Use the cabinets and drawers I have. Use the wallboard for inspiration, which is what it was intended for. Clean up after myself (isn't that what I tell the kids all the time?)
2. Join some local arts associations. There are arts associations in all the towns and cities around me, which I've researched, and one seems more fitting to my style. So my goal is to join it, and apply to other local groups. My hope is that by doing so I will "get myself out there" both in terms of meeting other artists, and finding places to sell my work, other than online.
3. Make art every day - for a series or collection. Whether it's working on a digital collection for blank greeting cards, or textured or painted mixed media collages, I want to make pieces that work together. I've been pretty sporadic and inconsistent in the things I've done (I think because I like trying so many different techniques), but it's time to pull it all together.

These may seem pretty generic, but I have more specific goals within each larger one. I'm excited to see where the year takes me!