GELLI PRINT ART TAGS with Phyllis Terrell

Gelli Printed Art Tags By Phyllis Terrell

One of the great things about teaching online and having an online presence through this blog, Facebook and other sites, is the opportunity to connect with like-minded souls.  I so enjoy that!!

Case in point, my recent online workshop "Gelli Jam" with Artful Gathering Online Art Retreat in the summer of 2014.  I met such wonderful people through this event, including the lovely Phyllis Terrell.  One of the projects Phyllis and the other students took part in was making a mini art journal with gelli printed shipping tags.  

The image above is a scan of just a handful of the tags that Phyllis so generously sent to me for me to use in my own mixed media art.

Below are a couple examples of what I did with Phyllis' tags.  You all know how I love to create little characters with bits of pieces of this and that.  This practice of creating little "people" lends itself well to tag art.  It's also an opportunity for me to use up other scrap bits and recycled elements including those funky fibers that adorn the tags.

The very last tag uses some recycled scrapbooking stickers that someone was going to throw out.  They are metallic silver and really pop against Phyllis' awesome tag.  I'm going to send her this one as a thank you for her generous gift.

Hope you are having an awesome, artful day, my friends.

Cheers!
Joanna

More Funky Collage & Altered Art Stuff

Sharing some fun and unique pieces I have made:

The first is an altered art doll made using a recycled oversized tag for her body, salvaged jewelry bits for her arms and legs, a clay cabochon for her face and repurposed floral pieces.

"Seek Serenity" Altered Tag Art Doll

"Time Is Eternity Living Dangerously"  Mixed media/collage made with recycled wallpaper, salvaged watch parts and discarded jewelry pieces.

"Time Is Eternity Living Dangerously"  Mixed Media Collage

"The Height Of Your Accomplishments Will Equal The Depth Of Your Convictions"  Mixed media collage with recycled materials.

"You Are Always In The Right Place At The Right Time" mixed media collage with recycled materials.

"Gypsy Spirit" Art Journal

I can't believe this project is FINALLY done!  I have been working on this little journal for about five years on and off.  I never thought I'd finish it.

It sat three-quarters done for the longest time.  I deliberately left it sitting out on my workspace so I would feel guilty about leaving it undone and do something about it.  That was at least five years ago.  To make matters worse, from a procrastination standpoint anyway, I even packed it up, still unfinished, when we moved from Vancouver Island back to the Okanagan Valley two years ago.  Then, when my studio space was done here, I unpacked it and AGAIN put it out on my limited workspace.  I knew I would have to see it regularly if there was any chance of it getting done.

Well, finally the last few finishing touches have been done and it is complete.  It measures about 4.5" X 6.5" and has twelve pages (not including the front and back covers).  "Gypsy Spirit" is an homage to those with a restless, wandering soul.  It has several quotes in it about gypsies.  I used a lot of vintage images from my huge collection of Victorian and Edwardian ephemera for this project.  These beauties lent themselves very well to the project.

Also used were all kinds of salvaged art supplies and embellishments that had been headed to the trash when I acquired them.  Ironically enough, I think the journal itself was from Seven Gypsies but it's been so long I can't be sure.  The string closure for the journal has been embellished with a beaded dangle featuring a glitzified recycled puzzle piece and salvaged ribbon in red and purple (see last two photos).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy looking at this project.  I will be listing it in my Etsy store but if you are interested prior to it getting there, just send me a message.  It will sell for $79.95US and if you purchase it here through my blog, I will cover shipping costs (saving you approximately $10-$12) anywhere in North America.

Many thanks, as always, for your support of my artistic endeavors!

Cheers!
Joanna

We Want Some Old Stuff - Part 5

Following up to the last post about tag art (and the request to see some of my old work from days gone by), I thought you might like to see some tag art dolls I made back then.   I have to say these art dolls were some of the most fun projects I ever did.  They were super simple and very popular with my customers.  I hope you enjoy taking a stroll down Tag Art Doll Memory Lane with me now!

"Take Me In Your Arms. Rock Me, Rock Me A Little While" (from the song by The Doobie Brothers).  (SOLD) doll made of three tags, stamped images, pink safety pins for her legs.

"Soul Serenity: tag art doll (SOLD), using recycled beads (including my own hand rolled paper beads for her arms, brass squigglies for her legs.

"Seek Serenity" tag art doll (SOLD) featuring a handmade clay face cabochon, recycled paper flowers and salvaged beads.

"Open Arms" tag art doll (SOLD) using recycled earrings for her legs and salvaged beads for her arms.

"Nurture Nature" tag art doll (SOLD), using recycled ceramics, clay face cabochon and salvaged beads.

"Nefertiti" tag art doll (SOLD).  Vintage brass squigglies, reclaimed filigree pieces and clay face and headdress (handmade).

"Live Your Dreams" tag art doll.

"Heart And Soul" tag art doll.  (SOLD) vintage filigree, old puzzle pieces (altered) and salvaged beads and jewelry.  In the second photo you can get a closer look at the little pocket on her body that is home to another puzzle piece with "soul" stamped on it and embellished with a heart bead.

"Flower Child" tag art doll.  (SOLD)