Flower Swap - Due April 25th

Where Am I (Mentally)?

What did I do today?  Well, I sat on my kister and flipped the channels between CSI and First 48.  I should be able to apply for a position in forensics at the end of the week!  But seriously, I have no life and no job.  I don't want to do anything but sit here and feel sorry for myself.  So, don't call and say "what did you do today?" or "did you get that job?".  My answers would be the same today that they were yesterday; nothing and no, but I will let you know if I do get a job.

What I would like to say is that if you are happy with what you are doing and don't need any additional education, then don't go to school and rack up student loans.  I can't believe that when I did go to school four years ago for a Bachelor Degree in Accounting I had to take out a personal loan because we were making too much money.  Now that I am "poor" and "jobless" I still have to pay back a 13% personal loan and two federal loans totaling more than $400 a month.  This just doesn't seem right and to top it all off; I live in a small town where people keeps their jobs forever and there just isn't anything.  So, I continue working online as an independent contractor because that is all I can find.

You may think that this gives you the freedom of working from home, but when you are stuck at home 24 hours a day and sit in front of your computer for most of that waiting for a job to come through, the glory of being self employed is taken from the equation.   I would gladly give my degree back if it meant that I would no longer have to pay my loans.  What about that anyways?  You can return a shirt to the store because it doesn't fit, but you can't return an education that isn't doing you any good.

For those thinking; get off your butt and find a job, there has to be something you can do, etc.  There isn't and I've tried.  I am cranky and, honestly, tired of playing the never ending game of finding a job that no longer exists.  You remember, that job you had so much fun doing and everyone you worked with was awesome.  It seems those jobs are long gone and so are those employers.

So, for today, this is where I am mentally.

Paint Chip ATC Challenge #3

Little Lilac, Mexican Moonlight, Root Beer, and Pink Clay Pot

I'm not sure why, but I always have to grab some paint chip samples wherever I go that has them.  Lucky for me I could actually use them.  They are a little difficult to work with as most are slick and do not like glue.  These are the four I turned in for the Paint Chip ATC Challenge #3 over at ATCs For All!

10th Wedding Anniversary

Love is in the Air ATC

 Today my husband and I celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.  I was totally shocked as the last two years we really haven't celebrated due to a massive amount of stress in our lives.  Well, my husband comes home with a card, an unbelievably gorgeous dozen roses and the first two full seasons on DVD of The Big Bang Theory.  The later may not be very appealing to some, but that was like the best present he has ever gotten me.  He really does listen!

Our first date was on December 18, 2001 where we went to see the movie "Lord of the Rings" and then went to the Outback Steak House, where I ordered a full steak meal.  He said he was impressed by the fact that I didn't order just a salad like most women do on a first date. I told him that if he was taking me out to dinner then I wasn't holding back and I was hungry.

We were married the next year on March 7, 2002 and "the rest is history".

Paper Doll Swap: Mary Lou

I'm not sure when Magnetic Mary Lou dolls came out, but  I do remember playing with something similar in the 70's.  I held a swap based on the original Magnetic Mary Lou doll, where everyone needed to create three dolls using the "fashions" from the boxed dolls.  I provided links to various places, so they could actually see the fashions.  I even found a box set being sold somewhere for $70.00.

I didn't get many players, so I created three dolls myself to include for swapping.

 

In The Style of Tim Burton Swap

Wow, I am so sorry.  I can't believe it has been over a month since I posted last.  I'll catch up with other swaps later, but I really wanted to post this about the "In the Style of Tim Burton Swap".  I love Tim Burton's work and I figured that what better way to honor him then to try and draw something he has in his website gallery.  Three of the ATCs I did were from his gallery and the fourth one was based on the his character from his art display at MoMA.

For those that are not aware; MoMA stands for Museum of Modern Art.

I figured out that Tim Burton does alot of art with stitches, black and white checkers, and spirals.  I am really partial to the flowers he does with cactus bases!

Color Palette I Purple/Blue/Green

 I never really join the "color palette" swaps, because you can use very little black or white and the main portion of the artist trading card (ATC) has to be the colors listed.  However, I really like the colors purple, blue, and green.  This was going to be a challenge for me and I had to think outside the box.  What could I do that would allow me to use all three colors while incorporating little to no black and white. 

I decided to break out the watercolors and start there.  I took three ATC sized watercolor cards and started to paint the three colors on the cards without really thinking about form.  When I was done I walked away, so when I came back it would be with new perspective.

When I returned to the cards; I was excited to see some type of form or shape and immediately broke out the glitter and metallic markers to start adding the needed flare for each card.

Needless to say, I was both pleased and impressed that I could actually handle doing a color palette ATC without alot of strain on the brain.