Merry Christmas!



Ocean House, Watch Hill, RI

   It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air. 

~W.T. Ellis

Circles, Dots and Spots - Paper Swap

Right about the time I heard about the chocolate swap, I found out about the paper swap that is also hosted by LaWendula. This swap was based around the theme of "circles, dots and spots". She has been hosting paper swaps with different themes for several years and has people from all over the world that take part. You receive the name of your paper swap partner and you then contact each other by email to exchange mailing addresses. 

It was pretty easy to collect papers for this theme. Once you start looking circles and dots are everywhere - a tea bag, the inside of a birthday card envelope, scrapbook papers, a coffee cup stain on a napkin, even the wrapper of the new "air delight" candy Kiss. I neatly packed all the papers I collected in the 2-3 weeks allowed in a handmade folder (keeping with the theme, of course) and shipped them off to Karen in Hannover, Germany. I hope she will have fun finding uses for some of these papers. 

 

I really miss getting all the cards and letters that used to come in the mail. It's not very exciting going to the mail box to collect yet another bill or credit card invite so waiting for my package to arrive from Karen was half the fun. Here's a look at the different papers (along with a few other circular odds and ends) that she sent.

  

Can't wait to use some of these papers in future collages. I've been thinking on a project involving lots of collages for the coming year. More on that once I get my idea (and my courage!) together.

 

Chocolate makes everything better, right?

I agree so I just had to take part in the Chocolate Swap at the Paper Swap Blog organized by LaWendula when I heard about it.

I was paired up with the swap organizer LaWendula and this is what I received, all the way from Germany:

Delicious chocolate and great quote:
"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

 ~Joseph Chilton Pearce

I found the chocolate bars I sent at Flavours of Life a great the Fair Trade store in New London, CT.

"Winter Relief; Burnishing the Cold"

postcard design by Sarah Martin

The opening reception was December 10th so, yes, I am a little late telling you about this show by the Stonington Printmakers Society at the La Grua Center in Stonington Borough. It features a wide variety of printmaking techniques by local artists and runs through Feb 15th so it's not too late to stop by and see all the wonderful works. The show can be seen during all the centers events and will also be open January 22nd for a special viewing from 10am-12pm.

I worked on a few relief prints...

transferring sketches to printing plate and starting to carve image

inking the plate

basic system made from cardboard to register the colors

'Weed' K Johnson 2011

and still working on getting the hang of the gelatin plate printing technique - getting better but going through a lot of paper in the process!

'Lily Love' K Johnson 2011