ATD ~ Artist Trading Dolls

ATD are artist trading dolls. These are art dolls made from paper that are either the size of a 2.5 x 3.5 card size or they can be larger but need to fold up to an 2.5 x 3.5 card size. These cards I am sharing with you are not my ordinary art doll cards that I would make. The young lady holding flowers is a nice card a collage now me personally I would not call this an art doll, but in the Paper Doll world it is consider an art doll. 

 

Now this young lady below or man it looks more mannish than an lady the boots fold up keeping this an artist trading card size. Personally, I like to make art dolls larger than fold up into an artist trading card size.

 

LITTLE ROADS TO HAPPINESS

The little roads to happiness, they are not hard to find;
They do not lead to great success-but to a quiet mind.
They do not lead to mighty power, nor to substantial wealth.
They bring one to a book, a flower, a song of cheer and health.
The little roads to happiness are free to everyone;
They lead one to the wind's caress, to kiss of friendly sun.
These little roads are shining white, for all the world to see;
Their sign-boards, pointing left and right, are loved and sympathy.
The little roads of happiness have the most charming way;
No matter how they may digress throughout the busy day;
No matter where they twist and wind through fields of rich delight,
They're always of the self same mind to lead us home at night.
~Wilhelmina Stitch

Art with a bit of Sparkle

 

These Artist trading cards were made for a swap I enter in at ATCsforALL. The medium I use is watercolor paint and a bit of sparkle to it. There were hand drawn then painted.  

THE SCULPTOR

I took a piece of plastic clay

And idly fashioned it one day,

And as my fingers pressed it, still

It bent and yielded to my will.

I came again, when days were passed,

The bit of clay was hard at last,

The form I gave it, still it bore,

But I could change that form no more.

Then I took a piece of living clay

And gently formed it, day by day

And molded with my power and art,

A young child's soft and yielding heart.

I cam again when years were gone,

It was a man I looked upon.

He still that early impress bore,

And I could change it, nevermore.

Author Unknown

LEARN TO WAIT

Learn to wait-life's hardest lesson

Conned, perchance, through blinding tears;

While the heart throubs sadly echo

To the tread of passing years.

Learn to wait-hope's slow fruition;

Faint not, though the way seems long;

There is joy in each condition;

Hearts through suffering may grow strong.

Thus a soul untouched by sorrow

Aims not at a higher state;

Joy seeks not a brighter morrow;

Only sad hearts learn to wait.

Author Unknown

Trinity Fires....

We got some awesome shots of the Water Tank Helicopters getting water from Erwing Reservoir. They would fly in hover over the reservoir putting that hose into the water filling up their tanks. Here are a couple of pictures that my husband took with our Coolpix P4 camera. This is a beautiful view of our reservoir. There is a trail that you can walk all around this reservoir. As you can see that in the evening when the helicopters are filling up with water. Locals are here taking pictures along with me. There were 2 helicopters that were constantly filling up with water and dumping it over the fires surrounding Hayfork.

Going to be interesting to see how the surrounding forest will look like so much of it has burn. My heart goes out to all the wild animals that has been dislocated or gave their lives trying to escape the flames. At the same time thankful we have men and women who are willing to fight these fires.

Fires in Trinity County continue.....

This helicopter is amazing. I'm not sure what they called it. It is BIG. This one is carrying a bucket underneath it. The bucket holds 2,000 gallons of water in it. It will go, makes it dump, then come back to the air port, the ground grew would re-fill the bucket up.

 

See the Red Bucket below, this helicopter is on its way back to the fair grounds.

  

Now he is lowering the bucket down to the airport notice the difference in the sky color. That is heavy dark blue grey smoke in the background. 

You can not see the bucket here just the long cable that holds the bucket. The bucket is now on the ground.

 

As you can see now that helicopter is coming on down to land. This was amazing to watch!

  

LANDED 

Fires in Trinity County continue.....

We were delighted that we were able to get these pictures right now as I am writing this it is so smoky it looks like fog.

 

How cool is that? I can't believe that we are getting shots like this from that little tiny camera my Coolpix P4  This is call a Water Tanker Helicopter also know has a Logging Helicopter too.

See the smoke is coming back into Hayfork. It is so dark and dreary when that smoke is upon us.

  

Here is a beautiful shot of a helicopter with the sunset behind the smoke causing it to look this red.

Tomorrow I will share more pictures of this Helicopter. 

Fires in Trinity County

Back in June around the first week of June we had a dry lightening storm that cause havoc with Trinity County and other surrounding counties too. In Trinity County we had 79 fires burning. Our little community turn into a war zone so to speak. We have firemen here from all over, helicopters flying here n there. We are thankful to have them here fighting the fires. We have been in heavy smoke for over a month now, then suddenly Friday afternoon a nice breeze blew, blowing all the smoke out. Boy was that a blessing the smoke was really getting to us. That day we choose to go into town these are the pictures we came back with.

 

As we came into Hayfork, on one side it was clear blue skies the other side was dark n dreary with heavy smoke. We have been in this smoke for days some days we could barely see down our drive way. 

 

I was so excited getting a shot of this helicopter with my little Coolpix P4 camera while at the bank I did not even notice the pine tree with the cross on top. Cool! I wonder what the pilot thought?

  

Mike took this picture as the helicopter was lifting from the air port here in Hayfork. 

More pictures tomorrow to share with you.

Old Fashion Silhouettes

 

Old Fashioned Silhouettes size 2.5 x 3.5

  

Made for the Old Fashioned Silhouette Swap over at ATCsforALL 

WHERE DO RED-HEADED BABIES COME FROM

 
After their baby was born, the panicked father went to see the Obstetrician. "Doctor," the man said, "I don't mind telling you, but I'm a little upset because my daughter has red hair.  She can't possibly be mine!!"

"Nonsense," the doctor said".

"Even though you and your wife both have black hair, one of your ancestors may have contributed red hair to the gene pool."


"It isn't possible," the man insisted."????? ?"This can't be, our families on both sides had jet-black hair for generations."


"Well," said the doctor, "let me ask you this. How often do you have sex??? "
The man seemed a bit ashamed . "I've been working very hard for the past year. We only made love once or twice every few months."


"Well, there you have it!" The doctor said confidently.

 

 
"It's rust." 

my redheaded sister in-law sent this to me!

GOD BLESS YOU

I seek in prayerful words, dear friend,

My heart's true wish to send you,

That you may know that, far or near,

My loving thoughts attend you.

I cannot find a truer word,

Nor better to address you;

Nor song, nor poem have I heard

Is sweeter than God bless you!

God bless you! So I've wished you all

Of brightness life possesses;

For can there any joy at all

be yours unless God Blesses?

Gold bless you! So I breathe a charm

lest grief's dark night oppress you,

For how can sorrow bring you harm

If 'tis God's way to bless you?

And so, 'through all thy days

May shadows touch thee never_"

But this alone-God bless thee-

Then art though safe forever.

~Author Unknown

Mr. Confuse

This is one of my adorable ZettiCrow family.



I want you to meet Mr. Confuse ZettizCrow he is looking trying to figure out where did he lay that down at. Now if I could just remember what it was that I'm looking for.



Sometimes I feel just like that.



This drawing is a watercolor painting on watercolor paper.

THE PESSIMIST

Nothing to do by work,

Nothing to eat but food;

Nothing to wear but clothes

To keep one from going nude.

Nothing to breathe but air,

Quick as a flash 'tis gone;

Nowhere to fall but off,

Nowhere to stand but on.

Nothing to comb but hair,

Nowhere to sleep but in bed;

Nothing to weep but tears,

Nothing to bury but dead.

Nothing to sing but songs;

Ah, well, alas! alack!

Nowhere to go but out,

Nowhere to come but back.

Nothing to see but sights,

Nothing to quench but thirst;

Nothing to have but what we've got;

Thus thro' life we are cursed.

Nothing to strike but a gait;

Everything moves that goes.

Nothing at all but common sense

Can ever withstand these woes.

~Ben King

Draw-a-Thon

Oh dear I need to learn to count. I ended up drawing 9 cards for the Draw-a-Thon , but if I add the card that I traded with Stillatthetop that would be 10 now wouldn't it, then I trade another card out of my gallery oh my it is now 11 all on this Draw-a-Thon weekend. How wonderful is that.

This little Baker fairy is a collage that I had done. The background is original then layered with designer paper and clip art then sealed and antique. I traded this to Kylie over in Australia.

This card here finally went home to Stillatthetop this card is what you call a Zentangle drawing back in the days it was called doodling...giggle...this is really it is a way to relax letting the flow of the lines interpret its own design. I always have fun making these up.

Draw-a-Thon

I know it is the 3rd day now on this same subject. I really did have fun drawing and trading my cards. It was odd we were suppose to draw a card then post it, well, I just couldn't keep up with everyone. So Saturday night around 11:00 p.m. I posted a few pictures then I stayed up past 1:00 a.m. drawing a couple more pictures. By then I was run drum. I was thinking to myself oh my, what happen if they don't trade. I'm proud to say I traded every one of them plus a few that were already in my gallery. It was a whole lot of fun. Here are the last 4 drawings, well, should I say, no there drawings just different styles. You figure it out.

 

I am wishing you all a wonderful day may it be special and full of joy! 

Draw-a-Thon

Well here are a couple of more from the Draw-a-Thon this last weekend.

These three butterflies are done in Watercolor Paints on Watercolor Paper.

Draw-a-Thon

Wow this weekend was busy. We did a Draw-a-Thon over at ATCsforALL it started Friday night at midnight ends tonight Sunday midnight. Whew! I made up 10 cards and swap them all out! I'm exhausted not to add all the different interruption I had this week. I loved it! I am still in wonder how I manage to draw 10 cards and swap them out. These two are Zetti Gals, it sure was a lot of fun. I'll share a few more tomorrow.

THE TOUCH OF THE MASTER'S HAND

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer

Thought it scarcely worth his while

To waste much time on the old violin,

But held it up with a smile:

"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,

"Who'll start the bidding for me?

"A dollar, a dollar"; then, "Two!" "Only two?

Two dollars, and who'll make it three?

Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;

Going for three--" But no,

From the room, far back, a gray-haired man

Came forward and picked up the bow;

Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,

And tightening the loose strings,

He played a melody pure and sweet

As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,

With a voice that was quiet and low,

Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"

And he held it up with the bow.

"A thousand dollars and who'll make it two?

Two thousands! And who'll make it three?

Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,

And going, and gone." said he

The people cheered, but some of them cried,

"We do not quiet understand

What changed its worth." Swift came the reply:

"The touch of a master's hand."

And many a man with life out of tune,

And battered and scarred with sin,

Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,

Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine;

He's is "going" once, and "going"  twice,

he's "going" and almost "gone."

But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd

Never can quite understand

The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought

By the touch of the Master's hand.

~Mrya Brooks Welch

MAIL ART 4x6

This is another Mail Art card 4x6 that I made for TherapyArtist over at ATCsforAll. Here again I use designer paper which I stamped for the background. Then I went to my computer dug up some clipart arrange them the way I wanted then printed them out. The Grass is made by me which I painted with acrylic paint. The stick lady is me, can't you tell, ..giggle.. running through the garden the sleeping dog and the loveable cats are not paying any attention not to say the blue birds building their house or the hummingbirds flying around. I then accented the flowers and back ground with metallic acrylic paint and then ink the edges and added a tad more ink on the front of the card edges. This was a lot of fun!

Mail Art 4x6

Mail Art are little pieces of art that are the size of 4x6 they can be collages, drawing, paintings 

if it can be made into a 4x6 well it is consider Mail Art. Originally Mail Art was consider a post card the size of most post cards are 4x6. There are groups out that the make Post Cards and send them in the mail to each other of family. I think what I love about the size 4x6 it gives you a larger area to work on. I love making ATC (artist trading cards 2.5 x 3.5 but these 4 x 6 are just as much fun. The 4 x 6 you see below, my first one for ATCsforAll in the ATC Picture Profile Swap. My card is a combination of drawing and collaging.

This card was a lot of fun to make. I made my own digital clip art and I use the computer to write up my profile concerning how much I love Art. Then I started putting it all together layering it. I started out with a designer paper background which I stamped. Then I started layering all the pieces of clip art which I then went back with acrylic paint started high lighting the whole card. I like to give my cards a tad of old feeling so I love to ink the edges and apply some of the ink on the cards. Like I said this was a fun card I made for Linda4atc.

Poodles

Do you like poodles? I do I love them A while back I did a few drawing of poodles that it would be fun to share them with you. These are my favorites. Each of them had an attitude just like my little Tess and Taoso each of the are so full of characters. One is tall and the other is very short hard to believe that they are brother and sister.These drawing was done in the medium of Prisma Color Pencils and Watercolor Pencils.

Brillant Weblog Award

This is a drawing of mine that I did for the Zetti Girls Swap over at ATCsforALL.

This painting is done on watercolor paper and I painted in watercolor paints and inks.

I can just hear you saying to yourself what is a Zetti?

I'm not sure, what I do know there are stripes involved. I'm sure there is probably some sort of mythology to it seems there is a lot of that going around. I myself do not get into that I prefer the simple beautiful look adding stripes to the character in a tasteful way.

Goodness gracious, I got the surprise of my life yesterday. I was over visiting my friend Artstanding Stranger Blog only to discover that I was part of the 7 that she nominated for the Brillant Weblog Award. Wasn't that nice of her. Please click on Artstanding Stranger link she has a wonderful site. I feel so Honor to received this award.

The way I understand this, I am to nominate 7 blogs that I enjoy visiting. Well thats a little hard, I enjoy all the blogs I visit and they are all my favorites. Well, here are the rules:

1. Put the logo on your blog (click on it and save it to your files)
2. Add a link to the person who gave it to you (that would be me)
3. Nominate at least 7 other favorite blogs
4. Add links to those people
5. Leave a message for those 7 nominees

LAGAZ DESIGNS
GOATGODDESS'S WEBLOG
ARTEDAR'S ATTIC
PAUSE-ABILITY
ANNIE OAKLEAVES
PURPLEMAJIC ART
JAN'S JOURNAL

Here are a couple of sites that I have discovered recently that are very inspirational.

Huntsville Art Blog
What's Up Roc

May this day be a beautiful one for all of us.

Oh My Does Time Fly Bye

Oh my does time fly bye
Do you find your self so busy
You don't know where the day went bye
Does this bother you?

Oh my does time fly bye
When you are having fun
Before you know it the day is gone.
As you look back at the day
You see what a glorious day it was.

Oh my does time fly bye
When reading a book
The suspense holds you
Your glues you to each page
Knowing that the next page will hold the answer.

Oh my does time fly bye
when under the weather not feeling so well
You know you should do this or that
Your energy leaves you and before you know it
The day has past.

Oh my, most of all, does time fly bye
When you spend the day working on your art
You enter a world of imagination
letting you spirit free
creating something new to share
Boy does time fly bye when having fun.
Ranie Patridis

WATER CAN ATC

This is one of my favorite drawings from last year. I like to draw in pencil then add one color to accent the picture.

Here I choose to color the leaves in.

Medium: pencil and color pencils

Daffodil ATC

Artist Trading Cards is one of my favorite past time. As you read these pages you see that I post quiet a few of them.

I find them so interesting if you can make it into an atc size 2.5 x 3.5 be able to slip into this those clear windows, well, you have an ATC.

This one is an hand embroider daffodil flower which I applied to the background which is designer paper. Then I took my metallic acrylic paint aging the card. I had enter in a flower swap over at atcard.

I think what I love most about these atc they are little pieces of art.

DRIED APPLE PIES

I loathe, abhor, detest, despise,
Abominate dried-apple pies.
I like good bread, I like good meat,
Or anything that's fit to eat;
But of all poor grub beneath the skies,
The poorest is dried apple pies.
Give me the toothache, or sore eyes,
But don't give me dried apple pies.
The farmer takes his gnarliest fruit,
'Tis wormy, bitter, and hard, to boot;
He leaves the hulls to make us cough,
And don't take half the peeling off.
Then on a dirty cord 'tis strung
And in a garret window hung,
And there it serves as roost for flies,
Until it's made up into pies.
Tread on my corns, or tell me lies,
But don't pass me dried-apple pies.
unknown

Art Doll #002

I altered a deck of card to make these Paper Art Dolls for a swap that I am in that was being hosted by ArteDar over at ATCsforALL

Folded up Art Dolls in ATC size 2.5 x 3.5

If you have not been over to see ATCsforAll you should. There are a lot of Artist over there working in different mediums.

Show Us Your Little Girl Shoes

Show us your little girl shoes. This was a swap I did over at ATC group. We were to draw shoes we wear as a child.

I drew this set for myself. I do not remember wearing shoes like these, it is possible though.

To view more shoes that I drew please visit my flickr site. Click on the flicker badge at the left of the screen to get to my site.

Altered Domino Book

The more I am getting into altering Dominoes the more I like it. You see here a book that I made out of two dominoes. I took the dominoes apply alcohol inks giving it a wood look. Then I measure the two dominoes together to get the page sizes. Folded in half then I hand stitch up the middle. Then I decorate each page. Once done with that I applied it to the dominoes. The view you are seeing here is the back view and side view of the front of the book. To view this little book up closer please visit my flickr site.