Work In Progress (WIP)

Hello and welcome to the start of another week and it's also Handmade Monday #45.  It's getting much colder here and we've had nothing but rain and hail- thankfully no sign of snow.............yet.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't get any until the end of the week as I still have a couple of fairs to attend.  Last Friday was the annual craft fair at the Rams Head pub in Disley which coincides with the light switch on - you can read about it on my website.

As well as my jewellery projects I have been making some ATC's (Artists Trading Cards) for a swap/trade on ATCsforAll and another on the juried sister site iATCs.  I haven't made any ATC's for over 12 months because I've been concentrating on the jewellery and haven't had that urge to create anything arty.  However recently I've been having a "craving" to do something and I wanted to get back into the ATC communitly - I have made some lasting friendships on both sites and I've even met quite a few of them in June (2010) at the artfest in Rochester New York.  So the 2 swaps I've put my name down for are My Sacred Heart on ATCsforAll and a Trees Swap on iATCs. 

I've made a start on the heart themed swap yesterday by sketching out a few designs to see how I can incorporate a few of the essential items that are part of the rules of this trade: we have to add 3 of the 4 item listed - crown, thorns, wings or fire.  I think I have the start of one of them using crown, wings and fire.

Here are some of my ideas - not sure how they will turn out but at least I've made a start on them especially as I have to make 3 for the swap and I always include 1 for the host.  These are on watercolour paper and I've used my favourite Derwent Inktense watercolour pencils.

As you can see they are at the early stages and still rough around the edges but it gives you an idea of where I'm going with this swap.  I don't know about you but I always find getting the initial idea the hardest to do.  Once I've got the idea the actual making up of the art isn't as time consuming and it all seems to fall into place.

Well that's enough from me for today.  Why not pop on over to Wendy's and see what everyone else has been up to and if you're a crafter and want to join in we'd love to see your work.