Convenzione Workshop Today

I attended a ZNE group's pre-convention workshop today. ZNE is Mixed Media Artists Connected and is a really good group of people. Their big Convenzione is this weekend at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. I won't unfortunately be able to attend the weekend activities, so I will miss seeing these events, however the art workshop today was fantastic.

Today's workshop was led by Anna Corba and was on taking mixed media collages and incorporating beeswax as a coating. I was able to create four small pieces during the day, and all the art that was created was amazing. A really good group of attendees, all inspiring.

Anna Critiquing My Pieces My Four Pieces - I worked on getting comfortable with pink and blue together, with a melon theme for the first three pieces.

What I Created - The fourth piece (blue/green) was inspired by the current impending pandemic, and I call it H One N One. Click on the image for a close-up.

Orchids Almost Gone

These orchids lasted three weeks after being cut. Though not as glorious as the original bouquet, there is something still quite beautiful and symbolic in the fallen arrangement of blooms on the tabletop.

Bookmark Thank You Cards

I am back doing art! It's been a couple of weeks since I left my corporate job, and I've been relaxing, skiing, reading, sleeping in (yum) and working on my tart idea.

I made these thank you cards (15 in all) to send to friends who wished me well in my retirement. Each card includes a bookmark made from recycled security envelopes that come in your bills. See how to make them at Go Make Something.


I made mine with security envelopes turned inside out. I used two for each and glued them together because I had split them open to turn them inside out. Email me if you want those more detailed instructions. Then, I used circles I punched from various pieces of paper that I was holding onto awhile back and had saved in a neat little zip top bag for a future art project.

For the cards, I used these 8/$1 packs from a local craft store that starts with an "M." The one drawback to these cards is that they have a glossy front and some sort of word on them. The glossy front doesn't accept stamped items very well, but the other things seem to adhere with "Yes" glue pretty well. I don't use a glue stick too much because I worry that my project might fall apart in the recipent's hands at some future date.

I made the "thank you" embellishment by printing onto scrapbook paper squares (12x12) that I got in a pad from "M" too. I cut these down to 8.5x11 on my nifty paper cutter so they go through the laser jet printer like a charm. I can pick any font and any color to "go with" the paper. I save the 3.5" strip I cut down for future projects. (Yes, I hoard paper.)

Here's an explanation of why I am passionate about bookmarks. As always, click on any image to get a better look.