What's In A Name, Anyway?

Give-Away Time!!!

Do you believe that the name, or title, of a work of art can add to it? Of course! Sometimes, a highly creative name for a piece "makes" the piece... it draws the viewer in and causes one to think deeper about the intent of the artist, and how they could have come to decide upon that particular title. Consequently, a poorly chosen name for a piece can detract from it, as well... often times, I've heard a fantastic song that I've really enjoyed. Upon discovering the title, however, I was left a little... blah.
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I recently took out a book from the local library. It seems hard to find book devoted to ATCs or ACEOs (Art Cards, baby!!!) But as the art forum moves forward, I want to stay up-to-date as much as I can. Anywhoooo, the book I took out was this one:



"1,000 Artist Trading Cards: Innovative and Inspired Mixed Media ATCs" by Patricia Bolton, Editor-In-Chief of

ClothPaperScissors
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It's a really cool book! It has a great introduction, explaining what art cards are, how the movement began, etc. It even has a fantastic gallery of cards where you can really see the detail and methods/materials used! The only thing that left me a little flat was that the cards were identified by number only... none of them showed the title of the card.
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With this carefully in mind, I present to you my two latest ATCs:



I really like the way they came out... a lot of feeling and emotion went into these pieces. But... I am at a loss for names for them! That's where YOU come in!

Time to employ your creative help... and think of a name for these two original cards! Easy, you think? Not so much! Give it a try! You can even think of ONE name, and I'll just name the cards "Name 1" and "Name 2", as in a series. Just post here the names you choose, give me SOME way to contact you, and the names I like the best will win this original ATC from me titled "Hearts Entangled"!


Give-Away Time!!!

ATCs

OK, so I've been a seller on Etsy for a few years now. Here's my shop. I really am a huge supporter of Etsy, and I love the site, despite some recent changes. But I won't get into that here, lol.



So, I mostly sell ACEOs on Etsy. I LOVE the art form, and the versatility is amazing. I was aware for a while of ATCs (Artist TRADING Cards), but never really bothered with them. Lately, however, I've found quite a few beautiful cards on the ATC's For All website. I've even traded a bit here and there!



Come check out my gallery, join on up, and get involved. They also do more, like swaps, chunky books, etc. I haven't gotten involved in all of that, but the time I do spend there, I enjoy very much. :) Here is my gallery .

Be Polite!

When considering a trade (of ATCs) and the person who has asked you to trade really doesn't have anything that you like, don't say "no" to the trade. Rather, say something like "Thanks so much for wanting to trade with me! I'll keep an eye on your gallery." That way, you're not being mean. You never know, they may just make something you WILL want in the future :)

Have a creative day!!!
-Aloquin

2nd Inpiration Contest!

Here we go, ACT Team... our second inspiration contest! The theme? Simply making an ACEO (Art Cards, Editions, and Originals) out of a medium you haven't used before... here we are!

1.)

2.)

3.)

4.)

5.)

Really GREAT entries!!! I love them all :)
OK every one, please vote! Email me the ONE choice you make, with the corresponding number, to: tracksaloquin@yahoo.com

Thanks so much, and best of luck to every one! :)

-Aloquin

1st EVER ACT Team Inspiration Contest!!!

Here are the entries for the 1st EVER ACT Team Inspiration Contest! Please, if you are a member of our team, vote for only ONE of the entries. They are numbered, so all you need to do is email the number of your choice to: tracksaloquin@yahoo.com

Whoever gets the most votes, wins!!! So, which do YOU like best?? :)

Number 1:


Number 2:


Number 3:


Number 4:


Number 5:


Number 6:


Number 7:


Every one did such great work!!! I can't wait to see who wins. Remember, vote soon! Voting closes Monday (Jan 24). Good luck, every one!!!

ACT Team Logo Vote!!!

Hi Every one!!!

Here are the submissions for the ACT Team Logo! Please only pick ONE, and convo me your choice on Etsy. Thanks!!! When you choose, pick the number associated with the Logo, and just convo me the number of your choice. :)

NUMBER ONE


NUMBER TWO



NUMBER THREE



NUMBER FOUR


NUMBER FIVE


NUMBER SIX

He spoke in minor chords- his voice a combination of melancholy songs and deep, meaningful inflections. One always got the impression that when he partook in a conversation, that part of him was somewhat removed, as if remembering a lost love, or recalling a special poem. His eyes would sort of glaze over, and you'd know he was somewhere else. Regardless of the importance of the discussion at hand, I inherently found this habit of his more endearing than annoying. How could I not? I was in love with him.
His hair was a deep, resonant blonde that bore it's history, in steaks of yellow, stretching back to the windmills and tulips of a Holland long past. Wild Pacific-Ocean was the shade of his blue eyes, and within them they held the depths of the swells of so-many waves.
He was mine, but for a moment in time, in the startingly fresh way a person can belong to another, more a connection than an ownership. Our eyes, our hands, our bodies interlocked, and we felt that compelling need for one another, that engulfing fire that burns out before it has the proper chance to grow into all it's possibilities.
Yes, he was mine, and I know that he tried to stay, tried to relinquish his traveler's heart for the committment of togetherness, but the uncontrollable nature of solidarity continually fueled his desires, and I simply could not compare.
On drizzle-tinged New York evenings, as I drink coffee with whomever I'm currently seated across from, my mind is inexplicably drawn back to him, and I remember his music-voic, haunting me with his words, like song lyrics I can not forget. The most beautiful phrase he ever chocked out, amidst tears of apologies, was "good bye".

Oh, Pacifica

There is a morning that is unlike any other morning on the planet, and that is the one where you wake up in Pacifica, CA, where you can FEEL the density of the fog creeping in. I've heard others tell similar stories about special, interesting mornings elsewhere... in Woodward, Pennsylvania, where you can view the majestic mountains in the distance... or on the coast of Alabama, where long stretches of sand and Southern traditions meld into a comfortable, homey atmosphere.

Oh, but for Pacifica... what with it's practically incandescent fog, it's slightly chilled air; there is no other place quite like it. The fog rolls in, covers you as if it were a blanket, and you are aware that not far away is the famed city of San Francisco, where people wore flowers in their hair some 40 years hence, but now they just kind of sit back, smoke grass, and blend into the background.

San Francisco basks in the sun, only a short distance away from Pacifica, yet the sharpest contrast. There is Fisherman's Wharf, the Golden Gate bridge, Alcatraz, the Rainbow District, you name it... there are little cities within the main one. Something for every one. It is truly the tourist's delight.

But Pacifica is something else entirely. The sites to see here are the ones you have to know of ahead of time, to go looking for... the old Sutro Baths, the Taco Bell perched on the beach where you're allowed to go in barefoot. The ocean swells here, dark and foreboding, and you can't help but miss the calmer feel of the Atlantic, back home on Long Island. The Pacific Ocean is somehow wilder, filled with a sort of reckless abandonment that both terrifies you and draws you in.

I do not know if I shall ever return to Pacifica, but to have another morning there would be more than worth a million spent elsewhere.

There is a man. He exists under palm trees of light, along the shores of the Pacific Ocean, as if in a dream. He lives thousands, perhaps trillions, of miles away from me.

Hawaii. It may as well be Alaska, or Guatemala, for that matter.

"I'll see you later". Those were the last words he said to me in person. I stood on the stoop of the homeless shelter, our baby son in my arms, watching as he got into the taxi and left. I kept waiting for it to stop, to turn around, for him to rush back out, in a fit of tears, or some kind of emotion... to say he was wrong, that he loved me, that he wasn't leaving.

"I'll see you later".

Now, it is five months later. Much later. And I've still not seen him. I don't know if I ever will. As the days grow further, and time spreads us thin, I slowly collect the pieces of my shattered self, and I move on. I have to be a good mother to my son, and my newly born daughter. I have to focus on them.

Too Hot

LOL, it's only about 75-80 on Long Island, and it's already too hot. I always said I didn't want to go through a summer pregnant... well, I guess the best laid plans... la la la. :_)

Two new additios, please check them out!!! :)

Repent!

and

Forget the Flowers... Run!

Thank you so much for looking, and enjoy your day!

Abuse is NEVER OK

Whether it is physical, emotional, or psychological, you do not have to be on the floor bleeding to be abused. Too many people make excuses... they say "well, it's not like I'm on a Lifetime movie. He doesn't beat me THAT badly..." or, worse yet, they feel it is their fault.

My new ACEO born out of healing is entitled "I Do Not Cherish the Pain", and it can be found newly listed here.

We spent our last days perusing the library stacks-
filling the void with inconsequential books,
an escape of the mind, a way to hide the heart.

If I had known as a little girl
(all skinned knees and climbing trees)
that love only lasts for two years,

I likely wouldn't have bothered. But,
you came rolling by me on your Heeley's;
offering security, devotion, and forever

in your eyes, and I, awakening from solidarity,
fell head first into your open arms, needing your love
more than I ever thought I could.

And now here we stand, on the cusp of good-bye...
devoid of the joy of growing old together.
There is no more "together".

It was a dream that I once had, a fantasy
of trust, of eternity... waking up is the
most palpable of pains to digest.

Busy busy busy!!!

Hello every one! Happy Wednesday! :)

I am busy today and tomorrow working away on a knitted newborn hat for my hubby's expectant co-worker. I'm doing a cute purl/knit combo for the first couple of rows, then straight knit stitch the rest of the way. I'm knitting the hat on 2 size 8 needles, then I'll stitch it together when I'm through, adding a cute pom pom on top. I'm knitting it out of this:



I'm also working on picture tutorials for my craft blog Alocraft! It's a blog where we'll be doing weekly crafts of choice, posting pics and interacting with one another as we progress in making the crafts. It's going to be a lot of fun, and if you'd like to join in, simply click on the link in blue above and come on over to learn more!

I'm also eagerly awaiting for these mirrors to arrive in the mail! I can't wait to start custom embellishing the back of themm... they're going to come out awesome!



Well, I hope every one has a blessed and creative day!!! :)

Steampunk!

So, I know I've said it before, but I really, really dig the Steampunk style... more in actual jewelry than clothing, but nonetheless... it's addicting!

So, to celebrate that, I've created a new Jewelry for Your Hair piece... Steampunk Butterflies!


Using pieces from a vintage watch, I combined the dial, several links, vintage butterfles, metal balls, and several buttons to complete an aesthetically-pleasing, overall-unique design. I really dig the way this beauty turned out!


You can see this new creation at my Etsy shop! Come take a look! :)

Also! Audrey's Giveaway Blog has a SUPER giveaway going on right now!!! You could win this delectable candle from Sugarville Candles! Go enter now!!!

Giveaways

OK, so I enter some giveaways... and most of them have a couple of ways to enter. To be honest, I usually just do the first choice, whatever it may be... I simply don't have a lot of time to go around doing every thing that a giveaway requires... until NOW!

There is finally a giveaway that I'm not only willing, but excited to do every thing it requires to get multiple entries! Please, take a moment and check out her giveaway, it truly is fantastic!

Here is the Giveaway!

Vintage Watches?

OK, so recently I've gotten into Steampunk... a style I dig very much. So, I recalled that Mom had some watches left over from Grandma, or perhaps earlier... and I checked them out. Here they are:



Now, I don't know anything about watches, but I think they *might* be worth something, and I'd like to find out before I go and break them up to use on crafts, LOL. :)

So, here they are, closer up.

1. This one is an Electric, by Timex.


2. This second one is a Bulova.


3. And this last pretty one is also a Timex, with no other indicating title.


If anyone knows anything about watches, I would love any feedback regarding these. Thank you so much!

Aloquin :)

From Start To Finish...

I recently created the first in a series of ACEOs titled the Fruit of the Spirit! I love the way it came out, and I wanted to share the creation of it with you! :)

First, I took an already pre-cut ACEO (that stands for Art Cards, Editions, and Originals, and the only rule is that they be 3.5 by 2.5!) I then sketched out the idea with a pencil first, before I inked over the marks with my black BIC pen.


After the pen dried, I erased the pencil marks and began color in my card, with paint pens and markers. I enjoyed the way the colors blended, especially on the inside of the orange!

I contined coloring the rest in, testing one color against another, and this is the final product! Not bad, if I do say so myself... can't wait to make the others in the series!

A True Story

This was posted earlier on DAWG Group web site, and I'm reposting it here, hoping it can help someone. Please read it, it's not long, and it WILL move you.

What God Can Do with $.57

A little girl stood near a small church from which she had been turned away because it was 'too crowded.' 'I can't go to Sunday School,' she sobbed to the pastor as he walked by. Seeing her shabby, unkempt appearance, the pastor guessed the reason and, taking her by the hand, took her inside and found a place for her in the Sunday school class. The child was so happy that they found room for her, and she went to bed that night thinking of the children who have no place to worship Jesus.

Some two years later, this child lay dead in one of the poor tenement buildings. Her parents called for the kindhearted pastor who had befriended their daughter to handle the final arrangements. As her poor little body was being moved, a worn and crumpled red purse was found which seemed to have been rummaged from some trash dump.

Inside was found 57 cents and a note, scribbled in childish handwriting, which read: 'This is to help build the little church bigger so more children can go to Sunday School.' For two years she had saved for this offering of love.

When the pastor tearfully read that note, he knew instantly what he would
do. Carrying this note and the cracked, red pocketbook to the pulpit, he told the story of her unselfish love and devotion. He challenged his deacons to get busy and raise enough money for the larger building.

But the story does not end there....


A newspaper learned of the story and published it. It was read by a wealthy realtor who offered them a parcel of land worth many thousands. When told that the church could not pay so much, he offered to sell it to the little church for 57 cents. Church members made large donations. Checks came from far and wide. Within five years the little girl's gift had increased to $250,000.00--a huge sum for that time (near the turn of the century). Her unselfish love had paid large dividends.

When you are in the city of Philadelphia , look up Temple Baptist Church, with a seating capacity of 3,300. And be sure to visit Temple University , where thousands of students are educated. Have a look, too, at the Good Samaritan Hospital and at a Sunday School building which houses hundreds of beautiful children, built so that no child in the area will ever need to be left outside during Sunday school time.

In one of the rooms of this building may be seen the picture of the sweet face of the little girl whose 57 cents, so sacrificially saved, made such remarkable history. Alongside of it is a portrait of her kind pastor, Dr.Russell H. Conwell, author of the book, 'Acres of Diamonds'.

This is a true story, which goes to show WHAT GOD CAN DO WITH 57 CENTS.

Ideas and Buttons!

It is a beautiful, warmer day today, accented by the lovely sound of the snow melting away into nothingness... Spring is on its way! :) Thank God!

I created some new rings yesterday, and wanted to share them with you... what do you think?




I had a lot of fun making these, and they'll be up on my Etsy shop soon!

I've also been toying with an idea lately... would anyone be interested in a blog where there is a craft each week, complete with instructions and area where you can post/discuss your craft when done?

Let me know, I'm trying to find out if there is an interest for such a blog!

Thanks!!! :)

The Birth of Ideas

So, yesterday, we had to go to the shelter next door because they were painting ours. We were over there from 8:30am until about 5:30pm... but, it was good down time for me to work on a couple of sketches of ACEO ideas! I only had a blue ball point pen with me, but I had a good time, regardless. There is something... calming about simply sitting and sketching once again... reminds me of simpler times.

There were two twin boys running around the shelter, and they both had coats with a rocket ship design on them, so that inspired me to make this sketch...



Then, keeping with the steampunk affinity I've had as of late, I decided to make this sketch... can't wait to turn it into a quality ACEO!



Then, I had an idea for a nice, calm kitchen-table/coffee sort of thing... so I sketched this out. My husband suggested I lower the table, enlargen the window, and pehraps draw an ocean scene outside... or maybe even a moonlit night. We'll see what I can come up with!



Finally, you'll see how the view of the side/back yard looked a little bit ago... and yes, the snow is still falling... I'm so glad my husband finally grabbed me batteries for my camera!

TGIF every one!!!

Sorry- no photos!

Regretably, my digital camera's batteries have officially run out. Hopefully, hopefully my husband will remember to bring some batteries home from work tonight, so this won't cripple me.

Alas, today we have a blog entry with no photos... boring? Somewhat, perhaps. But! I baked brownies today in cupcake tins... that was fun. They came out so round and cute... I'd take a picture, obviously, but you know...

Also a little upset. An order I placed from an Etsy seller was supposed to arrive already, and still hasn't. I have been trying to communicate with the seller to no avail. I really hope they contact me soon... I'd hate to miss the item I paid for and have to leave negative feedback...

Oh well, I suppose that's it for now. Off to try and remain chipper even in the dull rain. Good day every one!

Creative Inspiration

Hello, and Happy Monday!

So, I know that every one who creates garners their inspiration from somewhere... wether it be music, the sky, family, or street signs...



I was just going through my pictures folder and I found one titled "Inspiration". I have a lot of photos pulled from around the world wide web, and I've no idea anylonger from whence they came, but they are a constant source of inspiration for me.



If any of these happen to be YOUR work, fret not... I am merely showcasing your talent here on my blog, because I appreciate it so much that I've added it to my personal folder.

What inspires you? My friend makes origami earrings from mangas! Another person I know makes soda can tab bracelets.

Inspiration is every where... all you need to do is look. And never stop creating!!!




OH!!! AND a BIG congrats to Jammatun! for winning mine and Luv Ewe Knits blog giveaway!!! She won those wonderful, quality, versatile face cloths! Way to go!!!

More giveaways to come soon, so keep checking!