Buddies

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I've spent a lot of time, lately, working with the Idea-ology Found Relatives.

When I opened my first box I have to admit I was disappointed in how thick they were--a bit like playing cards.

In some applications, a thick photo is good but I use them most for collage and in this case, thinner is better.


But now I know it's SO EASY to modify them and I thought I'd share one of the ways I do it in case you'd like to give it a try.

First, peel off the back covering. Use your fingernail or a knife to get it started then just slowly pull it off (really easy).

Then get out some sandpaper (I use Tim's sanding block) and remove as much of the paper backing as you'd like.

For really thin photos, after sanding, spritz a little water on the back and rub off more paper bits with your fingers. Be gentle at this stage because the water weakens the paper and it becomes more delicate.

I've been able to get a photo so thin you can see through it! These guys are pretty tough and you'd never be able to do this with a regular photo.

It's also much easier to trim the photo after you've thinned it down a bit and I always tint the cut edges with a waterproof ink marker so they blend into my backgrounds better.

My "Buddies" came from the new Occasions series of Found Relatives and I created this tag for the winter theme at Simon's Monday blog challenge. I did some sanding, peeling and rubbing of the background paper, pasted on the boys, then used Simon's Falling Snow stencil with some white acrylic paint.

I didn't intend to create an avalanche but that's what it looks like!

Winter's Past

I haven't seen (or felt) snow for almost 15 years. But I do remember those bright, cold mornings when everything was quiet and peaceful in a frosty blanket of white.

Prompted by Simon's Monday blog challenge which is winter stamping, I've created this tag from watercolor paper, images stamped with archival inks and tinted with Distress stains and ink.

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I used a gel pen to frost the tree tops and a bit of white acrylic paint to blend out the snow drifts in the foreground.

Arches is a well-known brand of watercolor paper and full-size sheets are embossed with the lettering you see in the lower right-hand corner.

Stamp credits: LaBlanche (house), Inkadinkado (trees), Tim Holtz (car)

For Joseph

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Joseph Cornell was a brilliant artist and a pioneer of assemblage. If you are not familiar with his work, it's well worth your time to look him up.

Prompted by a challenge at Art Journal Journey to create something "inspired by the Masters," I collaged a page that mimics his Medici Princess box creation.

I used a frame from a magazine advertisement for a background filled with more magazine scraps, some rub-on letters and numbers, paint, gel pens, colored pencils, and embossed stamping.

I wish I could use symbolism more effectively in my art to give it a strong voice and invoke introspection. This is a skill Joseph Cornell mastered in a subtle, understated way and is what I appreciate most about his work.

Update:  I modified the original journal page posted here. Something was missing! The black vertical and horizontal lines in the original work were left out unintentionally. This simple addition made a difference and now I'm happier with it. (1/21/2015)