BACK FROM MODERN POSTCARD

250 new postcards arrived today.

They'll be going into my suitcase with a lot of other art stuff.

It's looking like I'll need the big suitcase.

I was hoping to avoid that!

Click here to see earlier post telling about these cards.

ANOTHER STORY BOOK TO BLURB

7 years old and about to have another story book published by Blurb: Kittykee and the Big Machine. (click for process).That's my grandson Zach! This is his 4th book in the Kittykee series! Front and back covers pictured.

My 5 yr old grand-daughter, Hailey, has a 2nd book ready for us to publish. We'll work on it after I get back. Meanwhile the kids in France will love her first book, KittyKee, Wolf and Friends (click to see process) Book cover pictured.

I'll be taking the 5 story books, by our grandkids, on the trip.

I look forward to taking pictures of the kids in Paris looking at Zach and Hailey's books.

Once I have all 5 books together and ready to go into my suitcase, I'll share them on the blog.

OFF TO MODERN POSTCARD

We sent the postcard files off to Modern Postcard this morning.

Here's the front and the back of the 4x4 card.

We'll be giving this card out to our new friends in France.

The text on the back of the card was put on a paled closeup of the collage's sky.

Sun Showered Fields was a collage in the Currents series.

Click on images for enlargements.

SWEPT INTO THE PROCESS

I'm skipping around in the Paris in September blog posts but stay with me. 'What goes around comes around.' as they say. I'll get back to continuing the other posts.

Today I switched gears when new friends came to town. Last night as we sat in the living room, the conversation turned to life story and that of course led to the 'story-rope'.

What is it? What does it look like? How do you make it? How does someone tell their story with it? So story-ropes came out and the process was shared. More about story-ropes coming.

In the morning there was time to invite my friend up to the studio & sweep her into the creative process. For sure there will be life stories to be shared in Paris. I'm going prepared.

As I pulled out fabrics, she began cutting strips. It was a good start to assembling materials for yet another possible project when we go to Paris.

SURE WE COULD MAKE ACCORDION BOOKS

In a recent conversation, our friends asked if Martha & I would like to do some art with their neighborhood friends who have kids.

I suggested we make accordion story books like I've been making with our grandkids.

So I'm painting papers and rubber stamping once again, hoping these little impromptu workshops happen. What fun!

I've taught in a lot of places but never in Europe! Let's do it!

More art to put in the suitcase!

THERE'S ART IN MY SUITCASE

I always travel with art. At a minimum I have my small cards w/web addresses & postcards to give as gifts. All have colorful images of my artwork.

There is always someone who wants to know what I do. How do you begin to explain your artwork? Easy! A picture postcard says it all.

Martha and I will be visiting family friends in Paris. How great is that - to see Paris with friends who live there! They'll be introducing us to their friends & asked me to bring some art to share.

So once again there will be art in my suitcase and in Martha's suitcase as well. She'll be bringing along collages, artist books, photos, and posters of her work.

First order of business for me though is making a postcard. I always make a postcard to give away when we travel internationally and meet people.

I love doing this! For Paris I'll be giving it as a gift to our new friends & I want it to be in French.

We're designing it today, using one of the collages from the Currents series on sky & weather, Sun Showers Over Fields. It's rather impressionistic, my husband thinks. We're working on it.

HERE'S MY FRIEND, MARTHA

I keep talking about Martha - so posting two pictures.

top: visiting one weekend

lower: Martha & I together in June at my son's wedding.

We have been wanting to take a trip.

Paris seems just right.

Click for earlier post with Martha & I laughing it up in my studio.