Postcards & a Tipple...

While watching the Australian Open tonight, I crafted two postcards. The idea behind the cards was to depict a cocktail and provide the recipe for it. I used two of my favourite drinks - a White Lady and a Chambord Blush - and combined them with a Sumo wrestling program.

Flapping Flamingos! Swap in action...

I'm currently co-ordinating a Swap-bot swap, where the intention is to create a flamingo themed postcard. My sister -in-law Laura has a thing for flamingos. Also my sister Suke has an enchanting cameo-style ring featuring a flamingo. Along with my current fancy for birds, it seamed logical to host a flamingo swap. Just follow the link by clicking on the icon below the image to view and participate. So far it is six swappers and counting! Hurrah! Happy days...

I swap with Swap-bot!

Peacocks and Postcards...

One swap I've recently been involved with has been "where art and mail collide". The idea is to create a postcard from recycled materials that is not just a created image, but art. The swap co-odinator is very keen on mail art and has established a number of groups around it as a consequence. My created image was inspired by some peacock themed bookmarks I've been crafting lately, and also the beautiful images of Florence Broadhurst's wallpaper. Peacocks are opulent and mysterious. And I love the idea of such large birds in trees!

The gliding bird...

An image to kick it all off. I drew this bird as part of a Swap-bot postcard exchange. Swap-bot is a website I'm moderately addicted to. The idea is simple. Someone creates a swap theme and comes up with some rules. All Swap-bot members can usually join, and when the send date comes along items go into the post. A few weeks later mail arrives!

This swap was for a hand drawn image of a bird to be made into a postcard. I used a section of this image in my postcard and then sent it off to sunny California. The card's recipient Swan is also Christian, so I was encouraged to include a verse from the Bible. It talked about God caring for bird, so if he does that he must care about humans even more.

I love the look of the wings in motion in this image. The bird is gracefully coming to rest on a somewhat flimsy perch. Ah, to fly and be purple!

To blog or not to blog...

I've been umming and ahhring about beginning a blog for the past few months. There are some perceived benefits and a number of drawbacks. For example, am I surcoming to the neo-individualist path that society has gone down in shouting out about the inane ramblings of my life which really are not very interesting? Do I have the dedication and stamina to routinely blog? Who really cares about what I write anyway? Is a blog fulfilling the void that facebook has opened up where I need to feel connected to the world by some technological means? After this musing, I think I should give up now.

But, through the eyes of the bashful owl I will be able to horrah my crafty pursuits. Oh, the conundrum!

So blog I will endeavour to do. My mission - to routinely post crafty images and contemplative reflections. They may be frivorlous, they may be mundane. So read on or not, it's okay...