MY CAFE PRESS STORE IS NOW OPEN

I've been receiving such good feedback on my artwork lately that I decided to open a Cafe Press store and put my artwork on different items, such as mugs, t-shirts, magnets, etc.

Right now I have available a magnet (also available in a pack of 10) and a postcard (pack of 8). I will be adding more artwork and more items on a continuing basis.

I have a quirky sense of humour, so that is mostly what you will see there. Here's the link: Addicted To Art Cafe Press Store . Please check it out and let me know what you think. Thank you very much.

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: ARTchix Products Finally Available

I finally got my website updated today with a large order of ARTchix stuff that's been sitting here for a while. I've added a bunch of paper collage sheets, fabric collage sheets, German scrap papers and Rubber Stamp Sheets.

I'm so excited cause I love these products so much. The images are fantastic to work with, whether you're making ATCs or large collages. I especially love the rubber stamps. They're photo stamps, so when you stamp them they look like a photo.

I hope you'll drop by to Addicted To Art to check out the new products. All prices are in Aussie Dollars.

The ATC shown here is one I made using an image of one of the sheets I got in. This is a great Christmas ATC. The papers are Basic Grey, which I also stock.

Turbulant Week

This week has been a turbulant week for me. I've been back and forwards to the Drs several time, but now have the right diagnosis and medication.

I've spent the week doing lots of art to try and drag myself out of this pit called depression. It seems to have worked as I'm feeling quite good today. You can see all my artwork, including what I've done this week, on my Picture Trail.

I've also spent a lot of time looking through the current issue of Somerset Studio. There are lots of projects in there that have inspired me, but none more than Belinda Schneider's rubber stamped desk calendar for next year. I sat down and created my own yesterday afternoon. It was lots of fun using my rubber stamps. Most of the paper art I do is ATC size and many of my stamps are too big, so they don't get used as much as I'd like. I used lots of different stamps in the calendar. Once again, you can see the whole thing on my Picture Trail. This is a project I definately enjoyed, and will be trying to organise something for next year on one or more of the groups I belong to.

This week I'll get back into doing stuff for my business. I seriously need to make some money. Now that I'm on more meds money is very tight. It doesn't help that no one is buying from my website.

One of the things that I am introducing to my business is the option to view products via a Party Plan type situation. This can be done 3 different ways, as a demo, as a make and take, or as a class. The demo doesn't cost anything, the make and take is $5 and the class is $20. The hostess gets hers for free, plus she also gets a 10% discount on anything that she buys on the night. At the moment the only classes that are available are ATCs (paper) and Microscope Slide Pendants. I'm hoping that next year as my monetary resources increase that I'll be able to add some jewellery classes too, such as chain maille, earrings, and some wire work.

If you live in Orange, NSW, Australia and would like me to do a party for you, please leave a comment and I'll email you to discuss details.

Depression and Grieving

The last couple of weeks have been interesting. I have really been missing my late husband, Bobby. He passed May 2005, so it's been 18 months. I haven't really grieved, I guess I've been too busy. Things haven't been going as well as I had hoped and my money is getting low. I'm really missing his regular income, having someone to talk to and bounce ideas off.

I know he would be proud of me, of how far I have come and what I've achieved. I've changed a lot in the last 18 months, I wonder if he would recognise me. I'm more sure of myself, of what I want, where I'm going, even though I still may be unsure of how to get there.

Anyway, the whole grieving thing has caused me to be very depressed so I've been to the Dr and she's given me some meds and sent me for grief counseling.

I've also been giving myself therapy in the form of sewing. I've had quite a break from doing any sort of sewing but am now getting back into it. I made a healing Angel doll yesterday. It's so cool. I got the idea from the article in Cloth Paper Scissors, but didn't really like the faces. I had these faces I got from ARTchix Studio (which I now stock) so I used those instead.

I'm really happy with the way she turned out. The image on her chest is from Paper Whimsy. She reminds me of me when I was that age. She represents me. The Scripture verse talks about how God sends his angels to minister to those who will inherit salvation. The doll is created by me to remind me that no matter what I go through I am not along. God's angels are there helping me, strengthening me, and encouraging me through each and every moment.

So the depression isn't as bad today. Creating helps me to focus on other things rather than what I'm going through and how I'm feeling. I guess you could say "I create away my troubles". And with God's help I know I will heal.

Etsy Seller - bentN2shape

You gotta check out this guy's stuff. He makes all sorts of stuff from plain old wire. He does everything from jewellery to little figurines. This is my current favourite:

http://www.etsy.com/view_item.php?listing_id=590470

It's a horse, of course...lol.

He's one very talented but bent guy! Love his stuff. He's his shop link:

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=92603

Go check it out. Remember, Christmas is coming. You might find the perfect gift here.