"Bigger is Better..."

...at least while sketching pomegranates...lead free..

from photo references...(cuz they are not in season)

in my Red Hand.Book journal, juggling it all on my lap,

(sketchbook, pen, reference sheets, granola bar, and a bottle of water)

as I waited for dad

during his cataract eye surgery on Wednesday...

I topped it all off with a splash of paint

Thursday afternoon at home.

Sketching bigger

was like a breath of fresh air...

a welcome format change from the 2.5" X 3.5" ATC cards

I have been making lately!

(Hmmm...but...wouldn't these make sweet ATCs after all???)

LOL :)

Illustration Friday: "MODIFY"

"Thankful Thursday...(#7)..."

From Judy in Tennessee..

A magnificent array of Asian awesomeness...

copies temple papers from her trip to Hong Kong

a handmade book mark with Chinese coin...

an amazing "power red" blank card...a brush painting print...

...beautiful words lovingly written,

PLUS

three gorgeous ATC cards...each a mini masterpiece of its own.
Whew!

Judy always gets my imagination going!

From Cynthia in North Carolina...more examples of her digital dexterity...

"Bring It On" ATC nostalgia

plus her ATC business card...how neat is that!!!???

She has a really wide variety of unique cards in all different styles

on her Flickr page...pop over and check it out!

From Cheryl in Utah...a really cool embossed ATC...
filled to the brim with all kinds of colorful energy
and dressed with a sweet tiny button for a little extra bling.

From Angela in Minnesota...her first trade...
a example of her fabulous watercolor painting talent...
"Squash Blossom".
Angela has a little online shop here
where many of her gorgeous pieces are showcased...
Check out the original print of her
beautiful business card shown in this photo.

From Aino in Finland...This lovely silhouette...perfectly cropped

...the detail and softness of her face is amazing...

I just love her edgy style !

From Lisa in Arizona...(WooHoo! someone close by!)

Also her first trade...

a beautiful zentangle "Star Burst" based on a Hindu design...and

a special little extra "Hearts Afire" ATC just as a surprise!

I was doing the happy dance after opening this...

and as you can imagine...

this only added more fuel to my "heart addiction" fire!

WooHoo!

And finally, from Patty in Alaska,

(who has now "caved" and joined our Cactus Monday bunch-YEA!)

three incredible examples of how artistically diverse she is.

A zentangle...Scherrenschnitte...and a watercolor!

Each time I visit her blog

I come away with my mouth agape...

From the Alaskan wilds to sailing the Caribbean...

Patty has done it all!

I have said it before...a will say it again...

It is such a treat that all of our artistic paths have crossed...

either through trading or blogging

or just luck of the draw...I am amazed each and every day

at the beauty and universality

our artistic world holds.

If only the rest of the world would join in on our joy!

"Peace Out" all!

"Wordless Wednesday...(#7)..."

...pssssst...click on image to enlarge...;)

"Itsy Bitsy Blossoms..."

...in a beautifully "Blooming Tuesday" birthday bouquet...
Happy 7th birthday to two of my favorite little twin nieces...

...Joya and Jillian!

"It's double the giggles and double the grins,

and double the trouble if you're blessed with twins."

~Author Unknown

"Facing the Day..."

...The Indian Maiden Series...:)

Happy Cactus Monday!

"I want to be able, as days go by, always to look myself straight in the eye."
~Edgar Guest

"Silvery Sunday..."

The second image in my Sacred Heart Milagos Series...

Shining by day...glowing by night.

"Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold."
~Maurice Setter

"Something Light and Airy..."

...My heart addiction continues...:)

Enjoy!

"Thankful Thursday...(#6)..."

From Fadwa in Dubai...an art piece with my name "Peg"

written in Arabic...(a digital copy of this was posted some time ago)

but now to have the original ...MMMMMM...nothing like it!

Fadwa is a talented writer, artist and jeweler...

a blog trip to visit her is most rewarding.

I love the stamps...and the pages of Arabic writing too!
(Click on any image to enlarge...the details in each are gorgeous)

From Melody in Utah...an ATC entitled "The Queen of Hearts".

I felt from the moment I saw this card that it had

my name written all over it...

especially with the latest heart illustration addiction

I am "suffering" from...LOL :)

As always, Melody sent some beautiful papers as an "extra."

This amazing copper ATC is from Lisa in California...
It is hand embossed and treated with alcohol inks to add a rich
patina...fits with all my southwestern things perfectly!
I would love one wall size!!!
Fun little extras were tucked in the envelope as a surprise.

More treasure came from dear Marianne in the Netherlands...
packed in a sweet little "blingy" bag.
She has to be one of the busiest people I know...
travelling to each and every little corner of the world...
yet continuing to faithfully paint
these little art gems all of us love so very much.
Three beauties...
Capetown at Night, Sparkly Rainbow, and Saguaro Blooms...
Ahhhhh!

From Sarah in England...her very first trade...
and what a bountiful and generous first trade it was!
You MUST click on this image to enlarge
as Sarah's detail work is spectacular...and a treat for all.
Note: the black and white design on the envelope
is an individual zentangled ATC...not part of the envelope art...
which in itself, made me and my postman smile really big!
Sarah's art is dainty, light and impeccable in detail.

And finally,
a beautiful postcard trade I made with Meneske in Turkey.
She is an accomplished painter...
I drool over her pieces
both for their subject matter and for her mastery of skills.
We became art friends through a postcard exchange
organized by Anita Davies in the UK,
in February 2008.
We had decided to trade last summer...and...time got away from us
but our plan finally came to fruition this year.
Meneske painted life in the village above where she lives...
actually,
what she saw one evening as the sun began to set...
and...as as you can imagine
the story she wrote on the back of her card
was breathtaking.
We plan to make more trades in the future.

Each night I look through my art trade books...
visit your blogs,
and think about how my life has
changed and my heart has grown by just being a member of this
artistic blogging world.
I am so thankful for each and every one of you...
You have added colors to my palette of life...
My artistic spirit soars!

"Wordless Wednesday...(#6)..."

"Ahhh! Imagine...Dream..."

...and best of all...Bloom!

These blossoms have flown away on sweet summer breezes

to live with Judy, and Melanie...and Patty.

Somedays,

I wish I could fly away too!

Happy Blooming Tuesday All! :)

"In our dreams we are able to fly . . .

and that is a remembering of how we were meant to be."
~Madeleine L'Engle

"Desert Melodies...Revisited..."

The prickly pear flowers are now long gone...

It is just the "pricklies and the sticklies" that are around these

hot, super sizzling, summer days...

But

that's the beauty of art...One can make a cactus bloom

whenever one's little heart desires!

Have a "prickly and stickly"-free...cool Cactus Monday All! :)

"My New Passion..."

"Sacre Coeur"... "Sagrado Corazon"...

or Sacred Heart...Milagros ATCs.

Milagros (also known as an ex-voto or dijes)

are religious folk charms that are traditionally used

for healing purposes and as votive offerings

in Mexico,

the southern United States,

other areas of Latin America,

as well as

parts of the Iberian peninsula.

They are frequently attached onto altars,

shrines, and sacred objects found in places of worship,

and they are often purchased in churches,

cathedrals or from street vendors.

SOURCE: Wikipedia

I am particularly fascinated by the Sacred Heart milagros.

I have a very small collection of these beautiful charms

and they have been crying out for

my drawing attention.

Some that I will draw will be traditional...

others will be from my imagination...I hope you enjoy this

newest "heartventure" of mine.

At the present time none will be for trade.

"The heart has reasons that reason does not understand."
~Jacques Benigne Bossuel

"Thankful Thursday...(#6)..."

From my faithful trading partner Melody in Utah...

"India Summer" masque and "Flying High!"

...and, as always, a little "extra" tucked in...some lovely papers.
(Be sure to click on each image to better see details...)

From Patty in Alaska...two beautiful watercolors...

one I chose...the other a delightfully refreshing snow surprise...

both enclosed in one of her original art cards...

What a treat!

From Damarys in Texas...from her "Baroque Hattitude" ATC series:)
They are so very "girly girl" and feminine!

From Melanie in Australia...three delicately beautiful works
finely drawn in pen...two are watercolored.
Notice the artwork on the envelope and those great Aussie stamps!
Melanie's art talent runs deep...check out her Etsy site
for all sorts of goodies in all sorts of media.

From Cynthia in North Carolina...Amazing examples of
digital artwork...layers upon layers of depth
and imagination.
Wish I knew hope to work this kind of artsy magic.

From Jane in Bath, England...three fabulous cards
each with scrumptious detail and attention to design.
Jane's artistic talent is boundless...check here for her Flickr site...
...or take a trip to her Etsy store...it is utterly delightful!

From Beverly in Michigan...big smiles and a bit of nostalgia...
layered card details, wonderful sayings, and a bag of ATC goodies!
I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

From Jimmy in California...his very first trade...
impeccable pen work in this awesome complex zentangle
entitled "Time is Running Out".
Such a steady hand...his patience must be that of a saint!

From Debbi in Australia...beautiful work on a canvas like base
detailed with coins, stitching and a bit of bling.
Again, some gorgeous Aussie stamps
and another fabulous envelope.

From our very own "Travelin' Lynn"...Car art...
made during her latest adventure...
bringing the cool mountains and a lush garden to my
scorching hot desert summer.
Again...check out the detail works on these!

And finally from John, in California, a 10 year old artist
who I had the pleasure of "meeting" on Flickr...
Copies of two of his sketchbook pieces and a copy of his
first "zine" much in the style of the one and only Dan Price
of Moonlight Chronicles fame.
John's zine is packed cover to cover with sketches of his travels,
his insights, thoughts and ideas...and drawings
of just plain old everyday things...
it is real treat to read.
John is a rising star...his love of art is a sheer
pleasure to witness.

Each of these pieces held in one's own hand...up close and personal
is such a soulful treat.
I hope that in my sharing these beautiful works of art
you are able to find some time
to visit each and every artist and allow them to brighten your
spirit as much as they have each brightened mine.
I am thankful to each and every one of them
and to each and every one of you.
Our little art world is truly a wonderland of joy!

"All real works of art look as though they were done in joy."
~Robert Henri

"Wordless Wednesday...(#6)..."

"As Was Promised..."

...Blingtangle #2 !

Happy Blooming Tuesday All!

"HOT, HOT...HOT...!!!

115 Fahrenheit...(46.1 Celsius)

yesterday...Whew!

...Much the same is predicted for today.
Things are not much better at night either...
Modern urban heat islands
don't let nights cool down enough...heat radiates all night long!
Sizzle! Sizzle! Ouch!
Hope your Cactus Monday is an icy cool one!
(FYI...This ATC is taken...but other available ones are posted HERE.)

Can't a forget a special
Happy Birthday "shout out" here for my brother MARK
and my sister SUSAN...both born on this day
just two years apart!
Have a great day you two!

"Welcome to Arizona, where summer spends the winter -
and hell spends the summer."
~Popular saying,
modified from a booster slogan in the 1930s

"The Reveal..."

...of the two cards I traded with Stephanie...in our "Surprise" ATC trade

She just received them...

so it is now "safe" for me to share them with all of you!

“The moments of happiness we enjoy

take us by surprise.

It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.”
~Ashley Montagu

"Thankful Thursday...(#5)..."

Rhonda in Kentucky started the week off with a beautiful ATC

painted from a photo her husband took of

hay bales in Wales...she added a original sheep just for fun...

(Be sure to click on any image to enlarge...)

Then came a private zentangle exchange

with Stephanie in Washington

We decided to surprise each other...Any OOOOH MY!

Was I ever delighted...The flip flop is an original extra bonus!

I will post my part of the trade with her as soon as

I am sure she received it :)

Then Marva in Colorado sent me a painting she made in the

Garden of the Gods...

I chose it from her selection and Serendipity struck again...

as this was the one she had painted

with me in mind! How fun!! :)

Finally, Tina, in Italy, ended the week with a 6 card trade of

some of the most lusciously vivid poppies topped off

with a delicious scoop of Italian ice cream!

(And with the temperature topping the 110 degree mark this week

that ice cream card was one "cooool" treat! LOL...)

I was most impressed with a quote

Tina had printed on the back of her ATC cards...

I love the feeling behind it...and I think that is why many

of us do what we do...either on line...

or through trading...

I am using it for my closing quote for today:

"Artist Trading Card...created by Tina

as a way to express her

joy in life."

~ Tina Festa