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

Mermaids

So I created a digital document for my mermaids.  These are again meant to be colored, Zentangled, or collaged like my Santa template.  I reserve all copyrights to my images.  If you like what you see, please don't hesitate to purchase for your personal use.

Buy this on Selz Selz powering ecommerce websites

Sellz trial...

Recently, someone asked me through my eBay account if they could use my Santa images for something since they couldn't draw a lick.  He or she was looking specifically for black folk art and couldn't find any.

I am as white as a sheet of paper but feel that skin tones must work for the folk art pieces I create and this interested party found one of my black Santas.  I responded after thinking about it and resolved that I wanted to keep the piece of art in tact as art.  Mass production would cheapen it and I fear losing my copyright to it.  But it did give me an idea.

I do have an Etsy account and remember how many people actually used it to sell digital downloads.  I will not be using Etsy as my selling platform right now because of my extremely tight budget.  So I have done my research and am trying out Sellz.  I will be using this on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and here.  This is my very first image and my trial run.  Please enjoy and come back frequently for updates as I try to post something at least twice a month.

Buy this on Selz Selz powering ecommerce websites

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.

Art is Life 30 Day Challenge

What's on the Table?

 Our salt grinder was on the table and I drew it quick.  I like the form and notice now some of my errors in drawing it.  Artists do tend to be self-critical though.

Buffy

 This drawing challenge was to draw a pet.  I don't have a pet but my parents have two cats and I drew one of them.  They call her Buffy.

William

 I had a close-up photo of my youngest and since my kids drive me, I felt it appropriate to draw one of them for the inspiration drawing, round two.

Recliner

 I don't sleep in this chair if I can help it but I do spend a ton of time resting in this chair.

Great Artists

Yes, they do Picasso.  You were a wise artist.

Next five in the 30 day drawing challenge.

Robbie and Me

 The day that the challenge to draw a couple came, I took a picture of Robbie and me.  He wasn't too cooperative about it but I managed to edit and add a little something special around us.

Inspiration

 I was stuck on what to draw for my inspiration so I just wrote words that all started with "F."  Drawing off-off-the-cuff isn't easy these days because I'm always pressed for time. These words represent what I usually draw.

Turning Point

 Truly, a turning point in my life was when I became a mom.  I no longer had extra time to work on art, my career, and my house.  But I feel I have a wealth more inspiration that I did before children.

Mermaids

 One day, I could draw anything and since my daughter loves mermaids, I spent that day drawing my own version of a mermaid.  She loves it and wanted to keep it.

Niagara Falls

I have big plans to visit Niagara Falls with my family when Will is a little older.  I've never seen it and since living in Wisconsin allows an easy road trip, that's where I would like to go.

And more drawing challenge...

Liz, Mike, Will

This is the next selection of 5 drawings from my 30 day drawing challenge.  My accomplishments have been many but none have made more of an impact than becoming a mother to three beautiful children.  Ask any mother where they take pride and most will say, "With my kids."

Doodle

One of the 30 days was just a doodle day so I created the drawing above.  It kind of reminded me of a flower or plant when I finished it.  I tend to draw more organic shapes than geometric shapes.

The Walking Dead

I wouldn't say that I'm a huge fan of "The Walking Dead," but I do enjoy watching the show.  The real reason for me drawing this picture on favorite-tv-show day was an excuse to try my hand at drawing zombies.  Again, I wanted to play around with lettering.

Heros, RRR, Stache

I had to create a comic one day and even though I taught my students how to do storyboards, comics, and animation; I never really sat and drew my own.  I struggled with this and came up with the above.  I think it would look neat as CGI.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

I was stuck for my favorite movie so I just went for my favorite movie title.  I thought that walking jeans would look interesting as a drawing.  Behold.  The above is my final product.

More of the 30 Day Drawing Challenge.

Favorite Animated Character

When Beauty and Beast was released by Walt Disney Studios, I absolutely loved Belle.  She was a book worm, tender hearted, and gorgeous woman who got her prince in the end.  She was able to look past a person's appearance to find his or her good nature and I could see myself being friends with her.

Favorite Candy

 I can't help but like Almond Joy.  If I get a bag of the minis, I indulge and that isn't good for anyone's waistline.

Favorite Fairy Tale

I couldn't think of any fairy tale the day this challenge came so I drew the glass slipper from Cinderella.  I like the fairy tale but can't say that it's my favorite at the moment.

Family Portrait

 I wanted to create more a representation of my family instead of a realistic portrait.  I like the design of the lettering.

Favorite Plant

My grandmother's favorite flower was the ditch lily and an aunt of mine told me this after I got married.  I designed our invitation with a tiger lily and my bouquet had tiger lilies.  The vibrant colors were so attractive to me and I am in awe that I share this with my grandmother, a woman I barely knew.

Finally some drawings scanned...

My Favorite Animal

I finished up my 30 day art challenge and have started a new one.  I would post all of the pictures of that challenge in this post but felt that would be overwhelming to scroll down through all of the art.

The top one is my favorite animal.  I would prefer never to own a fish in my life for I killed one in college and cried over it even though it lasted one day.  Never give a pet to someone without consulting with them.  One of my friends had this goldfish he won at a carnival that was about half a foot.  I thought the thing was beautiful and graceful.  As a little girl, I watched my uncle's fish and felt the same way.  I associate with fish in the sense that they are graceful when they swim and seem light, fluid, and uninhibited.

My Favorite Book

I wouldn't say that this is my absolute favorite book but it is a book I like and I love the words.  The overall theme that I received from this book is to take a chance.  I'm currently heading into a year without a job other than being a full-time mom and I'm taking control of the situation with some of my dreams.

My Best Friend

I hurt my best friend from college and haven't talked to her in two years.  I've attempted to reach out to her at least five times and have not heard back from her.  I wish she knew that I was there for her if she needed me to be.

My Favorite Food

I'm in love with junk food but love how fruits look drawn up.  Sometimes I pass on chocolate for the exotic flavor of a banana or the sweet flavor of an orange.

My Favorite Place

This is an aerial view of my in-law's boathouse.  Jumping off the dock into 10 to 16 feet deep water does unnerve me; however, watching the amount of enjoyment my kids have here eases the fear enough for me to have a good time.  Plus, I love jetting across the water on a jet ski or in a boat.