And the Envelope, Please!

Whew! This one made my head hurt. The Inchie word of the day is, "envelope." I could have just drawn one and been done with it, QED. But, noooooooo! Couldn't take the easy way out, now, could I?
No, I had to try to figure out the geometry of folding paper into a one-inch envelope, square roots and Pythagora's Theorem, oh my! (I may have had better luck if I worked in metric; decimals of inches are, well, trying).
I don't know if it's clear, but here it is, out of some paper I watercolored some time ago:

Close-up

And lest ye think that I've given up on the Zinchie project...Here's a few more to add to the collection along with my "Diagram" that I didn't post in time. It's a drawing of an iris (a concept that I was also working on for "Royal" at the TwobyTwo, but didn't come together, quite). So, too, I took the little envelope, added a note and made a twinchie, just because, to add to the refrigerator gallery. 

I've been creating a lot of fridge art and you can see the latest on my previous post, if you're looking for a distraction...I appreciate that you took the time to visit and comments are always a joy. Have a brilliant day! c

Know Thyself

Some of you may have met me via other internet adventures, particularly the art challenge blog Every Inchie Monday or the Diva's Zentangle challenge or even Reduce Footprints, a true challenge to live a better life all around. But today you probably found me by way of the twinchie challenge, Two by Two by Tuesday, that I also host.
I've been having a real field day creating the bi-weekly art prompts. I like seeing the art hit my inbox. It's so uplifting. I don't like to think of it as a challenge, but rather as a much-needed deadline for creating. I'm a bit of a procrastinator, always pushing my calendar to
THE. VERY. LAST. MINUTE.
Sleeping Man has been reminding me that we have a trip coming up. Tahoe for a wedding. Driving in the convertible. It will be a blast, I'm sure. But it's a lot of miles and it's a teenie little car, so packing is going to be fun. NOT. We're the photographers, so there's ton of equipment going. And what will I wear? The trunk is just large enough for my shoe collection, let alone technology.
What this means is I'm actually working ahead.
HA! ME!?!
So, for the art prompt, "Favorite Things," here goes:

I found this project very emotional. You see, during my fiftieth year on this planet, I had several surgical procedures. I knew my anesthesiologist by first name, that kind of thing. One of the surgeries didn't go so well and I've been living with pain ever since. That year, my friend Barbara gave me a little necklace with a pendant that read, "Strength." That same year she was in a car accident that has left her in pain, too, and she thought I could use a boost. I wore it for exactly one year, took it off on the day my divorce was finalized, quit the painkillers cold turkey and put the charm with some other little tokens that I have carried with me everywhere.
Until now.

Strength
Ledger paper, stamp, fabric, fortune, pendant, shell,
puzzle piece with pearl

I put them all together in a collage for this particular challenge. It's actually too big to meet the criteria, so my official response is a "brown paper package tied up in string," as you can see.

Brown Paper Package
tied up with String

Have you been humming the music from the "Sound of Music?" Me, too!
The other four collages that you see there are ones I have worked on as I've been doing the twinchie challenges. While I have all these materials out, I  might as well make more, right? Actually, I tend to make them in sets of three. I put these together about the same time:

Counting the Days
Ephemera, calendar, paper,
Zentangles with found objects

Just the one, "Strength," is exceptionally unique and deeply personal. And I'm fairly certain I'm not sticking it on the refrigerator with the others (for one thing, I'm running out of space!) I don't need a reminder of the pain as that doesn't go away, but I am emboldened by how far I've come in five years: we have a house--with no mortgage!, we have each other; we are blessed.
Have a brilliant, sunny day! c

Fire!

This is a subject I've played with before, based on a prompt at "Every Inchie Monday." You can see how far off-base I got the last time here.
This time, however, I got kind of political/outspoken--like THAT never happens!--and for the TwobyTwo challenge, "wildfire" was the word of the day, today. I may have scared some people off by my commentary, but I hope that's not the case.
I chose the particular prompt because it hits very close to home.

These are my official responses to the 2x2:

Forest Fire
Zentangle Inspired Art (ZIA) on Canson pastel paper
Sampson, Meringue and CO2

On Account of Fire
Collage of Ephemera
Accounting ledger, Magazines, Dictionary and Pastel paper

I've seen some of the work that has come in for this challenge and it thrills me to see the artwork in my inbox. Please take the time to check out the art created for the Two by Two by Tuesday challenge and perhaps? consider participating, too!
I'll be getting to all the other drawings and all that I've been working on....I have to scan a bunch of "stuff" first! Have a brilliant day!

May the Force be with You

I don't know about you, but all I've been hearing in my head is a LOT of thumping. Ever since I checked to see what the Diva was doing this week, I hear, "Dum, dum, dum, da-da-dum, da-da-dum." I'm transported back to the summer of 1977. A newly minted high school diploma behind me, college looming rapidly ahead and a solid week at the beach with family to gather my wits.
One evening after baking and basting in the sun (I know, it's supposed to be basking, but that's not what we ever did), we went to see the new movie sensation in Wells, Maine. Imagine if you will, your living room with folding chairs arranged in rows...and Dolby surround sound pouring from all directions. This was new technology and it rattled every bit of wood, nails and teeth in the auditorium. I don't remember seeing the movie "Star Wars"--except for Hans Solo--so much as FEELING it. You'll understand the point of all this if you visit her 216th challenge.
I went a more traditional route for my response:

EIM called for "Leopard" this week. The snow leopards at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island were always so magnificent. So, I kind of went in that direction:

Other than that I've been mostly fussing over "Royal," for the TwobyTwo. I was so excited to hear of the birth of the princess over the weekend. Perfect timing. I have two more twinchies for this theme to finish, but I couldn't even meet my own deadline! 

I was very excited over the participation for the TwobyTwo twinchie challenge this time around--thank you to all the artists who interpreted "Royal" in their own special way. I do hope you'll take a peek at what's going on there and perhaps decide to enter your own responses. (I know, shameless self-promotion, but if I don't peddle the goods, why should anyone else?). 

Have a brilliant day!