The spoils of being quarantined



My first Easter card of the season.



Hand print cherish card--the flower is copper mesh.

My favorite neighbor girls say I had the grown-up chicken pox--the doctor said it was shingles. Whatever it was, it was quite itchy and painful and contagious. Being locked away for a couple weeks is strange enough but with the symptoms and my decision not to take any pain killers beyond naprosin I had more the usual inability to concentrate for any length of time.

Once again, I found solace in the studio. Creating was the best medicine. I did small projects that matched my ability to focus but now I have some fun cards finished and I'm ready to go back to the delightful routine of my life.

I'm preparing some new pages and articles for the web site and online magazines but in the meantime I am posting two of my latest cards here. My first Easter card on the left was created with a new bunny die from Sizzex that I found on sale for less than $4.00. As always, I use the Spellbinder's Wizard machine to cut the die. You can click the photos to enlarge.

The card on the right features on of my favorite hand stamps (yes, I own 5 different hand stamps-smile). I colored the stamp with watercolor markers and  spritzed with water before stamping on the paper. The flower was cut with the Tim Holtz tattered flower die. I used dictionary paper for the small blossom and cool copper wire mesh for the bottom layer.

I'm planning on posting regularly scheduled visual journaling tips on the Artful Tourist Facebook page over the month of April and beyond if the responses work out. Be sure and join us there and participate in the fun.

Enjoy the moments.