A New Challenge!

Hi, Jessica Sporn here.  Marcia asked me to co-moderate Artists in Blogland, and of course I said yes.  AIB is such a great community; I enjoyed meeting many of you during our Fall Fearless & Fly challenges.  People really responded to the quotes we put together with each prompt.

And before we get to the next challenge, I am happy to announce that the winner of our very last Fall Fearless and Fly challenge, as chosen by the random generator at Random.org,  is #28, Maria McGuire!  Maria -- a $50 Pan Pastels Gift Certificate is on its way to you!

Continuing with that theme, each month we will have a prompt called "Color This Quote."  In the comments, please suggest quotes for the coming months.

To kick it off, here's the first quote:

I found this quote and image on Pinterest, but was unable to locate a source.  It seems like a great quote to think about as we head into February -- both because it conjures up warmth (it's cold where I live!) and love.  I have to say that my friends are such a source of comfort and support for me.  And I really cherish the friends I have met through arting -- you know who you are.

So please:

• Leave quotes for future "Color This Quote" challenges in the comments.

• Grab the button and let people know you're participating!

• Link up your take on this quote in the Linky List below.  It will stay open until February 24, and on February 25, the next quote will be revealed!  Please link to a specific blog post, not your general URL.  And if it's not immediately apparent how your work relates to the quote, let us know.  Work that doesn't have a connection to the quote will be removed from the linky list, no matter how gorgeous it is, as we're trying to relate to the quote.

• Visit 3 or more people who linked up, and leave loving words on their blogs or Flickr pages;

• Anything goes -- can't wait to see what you do with this quote.

Happy creating!

Show and Tell Saturday!

Hi!  It's Marcia Beckett here welcoming you to another Show and Tell session.  I hope you are all having a fantastic week!

This has been a rough start to the new year for me.  I've been hoping to get lots of artwork created, but with a bout of the flu I've been down in bed.  I really hope you all manage to dodge the flu this year.  Get your vitamin C, vitamin D, whatever you think will help you.  And keep your stress low!!  That's where I failed this year I think.   Wow, it is really amazing how your body will fight back against stress.

Anyways.  I sure hope you have spent some time in your art making zone this week and have something to share with us.  I do appreciate you joining us here at Artists in Blogland.  We have over 30 people signed up for our postcard swap, which is bound to be very fun.  I've already made my 3 postcards.  (That is one thing I did manage to find time to put together.)  Maybe next time we can do another ATC swap? 

Don't forget that this is also our LAST WEEK FOR THE FALL FEARLESS AND FLY challenge.  I hope you have had a blast with these challenges and thank you all for participating.  A special thanks goes out to all of our guest posters for this challenge and the challenge organizers, Carolyn and Jessica.  I truly appreciate each and every one of you who has joined in with us.   Sunday is the last day to sign up with your link for this challenge.


Please visit at least 3 other artists and put a link back to Artists in Blogland, so other people can find us. If you are reading from a blog reader, you will have to pop on over to the actual blog post to add your link.

Grab a button for your page:




<a href="http://artistsinblogland.blogspot.com"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAkavWgIt3j0JGaezCk5nI8yCAo_gHu9ded1SMT2R2dQ7kFY6zpG8wAsbbnoIqJaZykCBSWf9hfCwbKuiNlfpMxFkrsX5lIzwTgFDosb1BX2tm93y6npS-KgB_3jAle6wDotpqSi5PSk/s1600/003_picnik+%2528202x100%2529.jpg" alt="BWS tips button" width="202" height="100" /></a>

Postcard Swap Update

Hi all!  I have compiled a list of everyone who has signed up.  I will be sending out the address list this weekend.  Please double check this list to make sure that I have received your sign up.  Thanks!

Antonina Vracinska

Michelle Mathey
Jeanne-Sylvie Bellet

Deepa Sunil

Elisa Choi  

Manuela Giffels

Mandy Michehl

Phoenix Peacock
Sandie Cottee
Irma de Jager

Anitha Menon

Lorinda Fraser

Terrie Purkey

Victoria Lau
Sharon Evans
Jane Wetzel
Carin Cullen
Roanna Wong 
Ellie Quinn

Katie Romo

Tina Wittmer

Sabine Ickler
Sherry Morales
Morag Archer

Linda Kittmer

Roberta Warshaw 
Cat Wilson
Dawn Maurice 
Penelope Harris
Tracy Woodsford
Terrie Purkey 
Corrine Gilman
Monika Paha
Joanna Urbani

Marcia Beckett

Postcard Swap

There are over 20 people signed up for our postcard swap so far!   Wouldn't you like to join us?

Postcard by Marcia Beckett

Featuring magazine is having a call for mail art to illustrate an article.  See the details here.  They are due Feb. 25 to the magazine.

To coincide with this mail art call, Artists in Blogland is going to have a POSTCARD SWAP.  See, you can sign up for our swap, and then make a few extra to send to Featuring magazine.  Here's the details of OUR SWAP.

1.   Email Marcia with your postal address.  Sign ups close Jan. 25.  Start making your cards now!
2.   Make THREE original postcards (sized 4"x6") using any media... watercolors, collage, inks, stamping, colored pencils, fabric....  you are only limited to your imagination.
3.  Write your contact info on the back (email or blog address, name, etc.) so that your recipients can thank you.
4.   After Jan. 25, Marcia will send out a list of participants (with addresses).  You will send ONE postcard to each of the three people listed below your name.  You may be sending internationally, so keep that in mind.  Send your postcards in the mail by February 14 (Valentine's Day, easy to remember).  Don't forget to send some extras to Featuring magazine!

Fall Fearless and Fly with Nathalie Kalbach

Fall Fearless and Fly with Nathalie Kalbach!

Headline prompt:  Radical to Mundane and to Radical Again:  What once seemed new that now feels old and boring?  How can you see it as new again?  How do you "jump charge" creativity when you're feeling stuck?
Color:  black & neons - bold contrasts
Quote:  Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.  Bill Moyers

Welcome Nathalie Kalbach!   Thank you for sharing  your journal page with us!


Nathalie: I loved this prompt. I was inspired to think about the quote and also about how things that were once old and boring can feel new and different again. I strive to find new or different lives for my supplies and tools. I tend to try to use whatever I have around in my studio, and combine it with something unexpected. Whenever I feel a product or a tool is not really doing it for me anymore, I try to use it in a different way. Just that playing also jump-starts me in my creativity.  I either find a new way to play with the supplies I have at hand, or at least I invite my muse mojo to start playing, and that sometimes leads to the right mood to create something new.

In this art journal page I played with an old paper overlay.  I had several similar ones, and they have been used in so many projects years ago that I felt them to be overused by me.  Now they come in handy as stencils and masks, and I already see myself using the sprayed, now textured pieces after a while being torn up and used as additions to canvases.

It is the striving to use the things already in hand in different ways that make you find the unexpected and breathtaking new things ... just do ... you will be amazed!

Nathalie Kalbach is a European Mixed Media Scrapbooker. Her layered work is an explosion of texture, dimension and jewel tone colors.
In her many online workshops, called "Uber*Media," Nathalie generously shares her secrets for using paint and ink products to reveal texture, tips and tricks for embedding found objects and embellishments and how to unlock your personal creativity.  Many of her workshops are open right now, including Über*Media -PanPastel, -Acrylic Paint, -Gesso, -Acrylic Ink and -FoamStamplifier.  (I, Carolyn, have taken her PanPastel class and loved it! She is inspiring and a natural teacher!)  Nathalie loves to design, teach and write — doing all of it wholeheartedly. She also loves to read and travel.

Prizes! Everyone who links up their take on challenge 8 by Sunday, January 27th,  will be entered to win a $50 gift certificate for PanPastels!  The PanPastel website is full of videos, techniques and a gallery full of amazing art!  Check out all you can do with PanPastels!







What will you do in response to the eighth challenge?  Did you know it is our last Fall Fearless & Fly?  Here are the rules:

• You may participate in one or all of the challenges.
• Use one, two or all of the prompts.
• Use any media -- art journal, scrapbook, canvas, watercolor, quilting, you name it!  This is "Anything Goes" as far as your creativity is concerned.
• Link up by Sunday, January 27, to be eligible to win a $50 gift certificate for PanPastels!  !   Go over to Jessica's blog to comment, and be eligible for a giveaway there too!
• You may link up to 2 times, but please only link up to work prepared for this challenge.  If not, we will remove your link. Please post the url of your blog post or flickr page that's specific to this challenge, rather than a general blog address.  And please tell us how your work relates to the challenge!
• Each time you participate, visit at least 3 other links and leave loving words!
• All challenge participants are welcome to join our private Facebook group as a place to talk about your journey and whatever is coming up for you as you work on the challenges.   As it is private, just request to join and we'll give you access. 

To recap, here is the 8th challenge:

Headline prompt:  Radical to Mundane and to Radical Again:  What once seemed new that now feels old and boring?  How can you see it as new again?  How do you "jump charge" creativity when you're feeling stuck?
Color:  black & neons - bold contrasts
Quote:  Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.  Bill Moyers

Congratulations to Linda K., the lucky winner of our Fall Fearless & Fly challenge #7, chosen by the random generator at Random.org!   You have won a $35 gift certificate to LuminArte!   Please email your address to acolorfuljourney (at) gmail (dot) com for your prize!

And on Monday, January 28, check in for the winner of this challenge!

Looking forward to seeing your wonderful work!
Carolyn Dube and Jessica Sporn

PS:  We just want to say that we've had a wonderful time hosting this challenge.  Thank you Marcia for giving us this opportunity!  We've met so many wonderful artists and have grown a lot in our own art as well.  In the comments, please let us know if you'd like us to repeat Fall Fearless and Fly next fall, any suggestions you have for the next time, and generally anything else you'd like to share about the experience of participating in Fall Fearless & Fly!

Introducing a Postcard Swap: Sign up today!

Have you ever traded art with anyone?  I used to swap art postcards all the time.  Here are some from my collection... See how I used a little binder ring to connect them together?

Featuring magazine is having a call for mail art to illustrate an article.  See the details here.  They are due Feb. 25 to the magazine. 

To coincide with this mail art call, Artists in Blogland is going to have a POSTCARD SWAP.  See, you can sign up for our swap, and then make a few extra to send to Featuring magazine.  Here's the details of OUR SWAP.

1.   Email Marcia with your postal address.  Sign ups close Jan. 25.  Start making your cards now!
2.   Make THREE original postcards (sized 4"x6") using any media... watercolors, collage, inks, stamping, colored pencils, fabric....  you are only limited to your imagination. 
3.  Write your contact info on the back (email or blog address, name, etc.) so that your recipients can thank you.
4.   After Jan. 25, Marcia will send out a list of participants (with addresses).  You will send ONE postcard to each of the three people listed below your name.  You may be sending internationally, so keep that in mind.  Send your postcards in the mail by February 14 (Valentine's Day, easy to remember).  Don't forget to send some extras to Featuring magazine!

Show and Tell Saturday #33

Hi!  It's Marcia Beckett here welcoming you to another show and tell session.  I'd like to thank Jessica Sporn for volunteering to help me with Artists in Blogland.  She and Carolyn Dube have done such a wonderful job hosting the Fall Fearless and Fly Challenge.  What a fun time we've had and they have been fabulous with coming up with creative ideas, finding prizes and drumming up excitement for the challenge.

Jessica and I had a phone conversation this week and we have some fun new ideas for the upcoming year that I can't wait to share with you.  Keep your eyes here for details on a new SWAP that I will be announcing this weekend and the last Fall Fearless and Fly challenge will be posted soon.  




 Please visit at least 3 other artists and put a link back to Artists in Blogland, so other people can find us. If you are reading from a blog reader, you will have to pop on over to the actual blog post to add your link.

Grab a button for your page:




<a href="http://artistsinblogland.blogspot.com"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbAkavWgIt3j0JGaezCk5nI8yCAo_gHu9ded1SMT2R2dQ7kFY6zpG8wAsbbnoIqJaZykCBSWf9hfCwbKuiNlfpMxFkrsX5lIzwTgFDosb1BX2tm93y6npS-KgB_3jAle6wDotpqSi5PSk/s1600/003_picnik+%2528202x100%2529.jpg" alt="BWS tips button" width="202" height="100" /></a>