Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Memorial Day 2007

These are ATCs of mine and a friend. The theme
was War. These were done about the time the
Iraqi War started. Mine the one on the left is
one of the most subtle things I have done.
My friend's on the right is titled, "War Tears".
what is not evident in the scan is that there is
a tear coming from the corner of the eye. Also
notice the torn upper right corner. Think about
both of them. There is a lot going on in these
two little pieces of paper.





Being a daughter and neice of WW II veterans, sister and cousin to Vietnam veterans and now mother of an Iraqi Freedom veteran I sometimes question the need of war. Just sometimes you might ask? Yes, just sometimes. And this was one of those week-ends. On a Sunday morning program I saw a story about two young American women who were wounded in combat in Iraq, one lost a hand and the other her whole arm. Both were very pretty. One was a mother of a 9 year old and the other was single. Both had been fitted with prothesis but they chose to wear them only at certain times. Neither of them were whining or crying about their injuries. They were going about their business of daily life. Both were proud of their completed military duty and said they would do it again knowing what would happen to them.

Then sometime on Monday I watched a news story about the curious revelation that people who serve in the military and saw combat have a 60% chance greater then people who did not of developing Lou Gehrings disease, ALS. It is a wasting away of muscle tissue. The man who was being interviewed is a Vietnam Veteran. He survived the jungles of Vietnam only now to be slowly wasting away.

And of course there were the pictures of row upon row of white head stones in cemeteries from around the country. In one cemetery they were 'celebrating' the erection of several new head stones. I was only half listening to the TV when the word 'celebrating' caught my attention. It seems that time had erroded some old head stones from Veterans of the Civil War and that the locals in the community had had fund raisers to replace them. And it was done on this Memorial Day.

So many dead, so many hurt and wounded. Why? And for What?

Ah....that's the question!

It is so we can sit in front of our computers and write in our blogs or play stupid games. So that we can picnic and bar-b-que on a Monday in May winding up a three day week-end. Drive our cars and cut our grass with now very expensive gasoline. Mindlessly going about our trivial daily lives. Being able to open a small business. We are so lucky to live in the USA. Even with all of its problems this is the place to be. Thank a veteran. And remember some of them are Females.

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the Artfull Hand and rubber stamping. Sometimes you just have to think about somebody else rather then yourself. And don't forget to question -- somtimes.

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Bug-a-wumps make and take #2


Here is card number two. We will do one design per day and will be doing the make and take for one hour only per day. So these cards will be very limited in production. But if you go and buy the stamps from Laura you can make as many as you like at home.

Bug-a-wumps Make and Take #1

As promised here are the designs for the FREE Bug-a-wumps make and take that the Artfull Hand will be doing at the Collinsville Convention June 9 & 10, one design per day. Laura from Bug-a-wumps has agreed to discount the stamps used in the make 'n take when you take the finished card to her booth. The only stamp in this design that is not bug-a-wumps is the grass at the bottom of the card. Both Linda and I felt that the design needed more grass. That stamp is from Stampscapes so Laura won't have that stamp available for sale.


New Look

Hi Ya'll,
I messed around yesterday with some of the blog templates and came up with a new look. I hope you like it. I do. I was getting tired of the pepto-bismol pink look.
I also been asking around trying to see how many of you actually look at this blog. I was surprised to find out that there is quite a number of you...... I guess that is a good thing.
So for the time being I will continue along letting you know what is going on at The Artfull Hand.

The June Calendar is done and will be posted very soon. So be sure to check the web site in the coming days. www.theartfullhand.com

Monday, May 21, 2007

Collinsville Convention

The Collinsville Convention is June 9th and 10th.
This year the Artfull Hand will be doing a FREE make and take on Saturday and Sunday. We will be using Bug-a-wumps stamps. The cool thing is that if you take the completed card to the Bug-a-wump booth you will be able to buy the stamps we used in the make-n-take card at a discount!!! But the stamps can be only purchased at a discount on the day we make the card. There will be a different design each day. As soon as Barb lets me know what time of day we are doing the make-n-take I will post it to the blog.
Linda, Carol and I are working up the designs as I type this. I guess you are wondering how I can type this and work up a design at the same time? Talent- my dears - talent! No---actually I worked on it last week-end and then handed over my ideas for Linda and Carol to refine. They are doing a wonderful job. When we get the designs finalized then I will post pictures here.
Don't forget to buy your tickets early. IF you wait until you get to the door then they are more expensive and you can't get in as early.
We have tickets for purchase at the Artfull Hand.
Toodles!

Another 3 for $3




We will have another 3 for $3 on Tuesday May22 at 10:30 and 1:30. Carol will be leading this one. Here are the three cards that are going to be made.
Carol has a wonderful sense of design and color. Come and join in the fun.
Carol asks that you bring an exacto knife and cutting mat plus your basic class kit.
See you then.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

3 for $3 at the AH

Hello Friends, The Artfull Hand is hosting a 3 for $3 on Friday at 10:30 am and again at 1:30 pm. A 3 for $3 is a card making session where you the customer makes 3 cards for three dollars. The card above is one of the cards we will be making on Friday morning. Come and join us. The next three for $3 will be next Tuesday the 22nd, again at 10:30 and 1:30. Check out www.theartfullhand.com for the full schedule. Hope to see you soon.

Friday, May 04, 2007

Frida Kahlo


Being close to Cinco de Mayo I was thinking about the Frida doll swap I was in last year. There were 6 dolls. They all started out naked or barely dressed. By the time they got back to the owner they were endowed with creatively beautiful clothes and accessories...
For those of you who don't know who Frida Kahlo was she was a Mexican Artist who had a surreal life. Her body of work is known for the self portraits she did. She was in a terrible accident early in life and suffered from it for the rest of her life. She spent many long hours bedridden. Her father gave her a paint set and the rest is history as they say. She only had herself for a model.
The Artfull Hand is anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new product from Luminaire Art-(the makers of Twinkling H20s) . It is a metallic spray wash. The samples that we recieved were enough to convince me that this was a really cool idea...
The order should arrive Tuesday next week. The Collinsville Convention Tickets have arrived as well. This convention looks to be really good. And..... The Artfull Hand will be leading a make 'n take each day. So be sure to get your tickets early and then visit us.