My own biggest collector...

Princess Me ATC 2016

I may have mentioned this in my blog sometime ago but I'll mention it again since I'm rather irregular when it comes to maintaining this site, I'm my own biggest collector.  It frustrates me that I have no collectors but I'll be brief on my current ventures.

After a few short years of working at McDonald's, I resigned to take care of my kids while my husband trained for his new position and we tried to sell our house.  After just over six months, we have an accepted offer and our waiting on the buyers final financial commitment.  Meanwhile, we found a house closer to where my husband works and the sellers have accepted our offer.  Here's the tricky part.  Life doesn't always follow along smoothly so instead, we are closing on our house in 25 days but can't close on our new house until June 1st.  Don't worry though.  We have a place that we will rent for the month or so in between.

Plywood cow for June Dairy Days

So that helps to explain most of my absence but not all.  I entered a couple of call to artist and helped out family with another cow pictured on the  (not the Fiberglas cows thankfully). I still create numerous artist trading cards (ATC) and have a stack of 280 or more thus the reason for my blog title.  The small format is convenient for me and sometimes my kids are interested in working with me.  Small works of art is pretty popular all over the art world and not just the 4x6 format.  I have done some research on inchies and twinchies (http://www.inchiearts.com/).  The research can consume whatever time I have left over in a day.

 
 Greenville, North Carolina Call to Artist Submission

So please enjoy my latest creations. I used acrylic paint on the plywood cow, collage on the art submission I posted, and paint chips for the opening ATC.  Below is another ATC achievement done in permanent and felt tip markers.  Always find a way to do what you love.

Butterfly ATC 2016

 ~Just Julie

Rock the art...

Pop music has often been a muse for artists and I'm no exception.  When I can't think of something to draw, I think of a song I like or listen to music.  The following is more about the title of the songs than the music themselves.  Pretty Purple Top Hat is indie music and very unfamiliar with me but I liked the title.  Red, Red Wine and Blue Suede Shoes often get stuck in my head.  The purpose of the mixed media art that follows was more to keep me making things.

Please enjoy, follow my blog, and check out my links.

Red, Red Wine

Pretty Purple Top Hat

Blue Suede Shoes

Forgotten 30 day challenge ATCS

Oh my, I forgot about these drawings, too.  More 30 day challenge drawings.

30 day drawing challenge revisited.

Here's a few more drawings from my drawing challenge a couple years ago.  I forgot to publish this stuff.

Mail Me Some Art...

I found this great blog called Mail Me Some Art.  The swaps seem fun and I was able to create two for the Monochromatic Postcard Swap.

For those who stumble upon this blog, mail art is a pretty popular way to share and collect art.  And monochromatic simply means "one color."

I'm ready to mail out my postcards for the art swap.  I picked red for one using the lyrics from Kellie Pickler's "Red High Heels" song.  For my second, I picked yellow using "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weanie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini."  Finally, I just had a blast creating them.

Red High Heels Watercolor, Acrylic, Collage, Marker, Pastel

Yellow Polka Dot Bikini Watercolor, Acrylic, Collage, Marker

Sea Turtle Mail Art and a Zazzling Experience

It's been over a year since I've posted anything here.  This hasn't been by choice but more because life just happened.

I've been trying to update my artwork and find venues to showcase it.  Most of the art I've been creating is just to keep me making something.  I have other ideas but I just need to sit down, do some sketches, and create the final product.  For now, I'm sharing what I have been doing.

First, I'm designing on Zazzle.  I started this sometime ago but now I'm pulling images I created from my past, updating them, and putting them on products. Take look, like the products, and purchase if you choose to at Ohbyoh.  I enjoy it and will continue to update my stores.

Second, I'm still selling on eBay.  I think I've sold over ten of my artist cards.  Choosing categories for my work can be tricky since many items fit in more than one category; causing me to experiment with different listing categories if I sell "like" items.  I took a break from Christmas until the beginning of this month so that I could regroup and focus on my family.  I was also working on the Zazzle designs.  Any interest in my eBay items can follow ohbyohdesigns and check back periodically for new work.

Finally, I'm working on postcards for exhibition and trading.  Not as easy as I thought it was going to be but I can happily send the first one through the mail tomorrow.  Turquoise is a blog that is sharing all postcards sent.  There's no entry fee other than postage.  Feel free to browse the beautiful creations already submitted and see more information on Facebook at Turquoise: Mail Art Call. While your at it; take a look at the coordinator's art work, Mori Art: Moo.  The following is my sea turtle submission for this wonderful experience.  It turned into more a challenge than I had figured.  Time to mail it out.

Sea Turtle In Progress  I was frustrated with the texture and trying to get it right.

Sea Turtle in Turquoise I finished this just moments ago.  Done in watercolors, permanent markers, and pastels. Ready for postage.