I'm back

I started mixing pleasure with pleasure. Ironic, yeah? If you read my other blog, Maui Honu Honi, you know what I mean. If you don't, go read, come back. You must forgive me for any repeated thoughts, though. This idea of organizing my thoughts is new for me. Being messy just sometimes works better for me.

So, you may know that my good friend Debra got me interested in making ATCs again. I adopted a totally different style this time around, though. I like the mixed media styles, collage work especially. I obsess over the styles created by Christy Tomlinson, using her YouTube videos as a source of inspiration.

I especially like working with canvas. Unfortunately, I lack all of the supplies I need to finish many of the canvas projects I have in mind. I started one a couple weeks ago, involving tons of tiny 1-inch pieces of paper, but I need to wait until my studio arrives in a month or so before I can finish it. I posted a request for people to send me 1-inch scraps of paper, though, and I received the first of those from Christina in Indiana.

As soon as I got home after work, I changed into my crafting clothes. I reserved special raggedy clothes for working on my projects because I get messy at times - wouldn't want to get paint or glue on my new favorite Maika'i Ola shirt!

My "studio" these days consists of a TV tray that I set up bedside so I have somewhere to sit while I work. My supplies live in a battered cardboard box that might not last through the end of the month. My only light to work with consists of the natural light I get when the sun shines in the window. The cardboard box goes on the floor next to the TV tray, I take my spot on the edge of the bed, and I get to work.

Today, I worked on a canvas project using my just received 1-inch paper squares. When I reached a stopping point at which I would be able to pick things up again tomorrow, I moved everything aside. The supplies return to their cardboard box. The cardboard box gets stashed on the sad little window shelf/desk/thing. The TV tray becomes my nightstand, holding all of the electronics that need charged while I sleep.

I can't wait until my real studio gets here, until I have loads of supplies to work with...and ArtBin containers to keep everything neat so The Hubby doesn't have a breakdown!