This was a fun challenge for the newest Arts In The Cards trade with the theme of opposites. What can be more opposite than the cat inside the cage and the bird free outside the cage. It leaves you wondering who is lunch? The only fiber in this one is the used tea bags on the backside. No Stitching.
The background is two different layers of scrapbooking papers, cut out and layered. The cage and bird are clip-art that is colored, cut out and mounted on foam squares for dimension. The backside has tea bags applied with gel medium that I thought was going to be the front but it was too dull for the way I wanted these to look.

My original plan for this Arts in the Cards trade bit the dust so you might say I had to make lemonade from the lemon.  I was not impressed or motivated when I started this idea. I quilted commercial cotton with a summer garden print. then I fused stylized sunflowers on the front. It was getting better. Then I added the funky rick rack grass and granny butterfly. When I started the backs, I decided to leave a pocket for a surprise inside. I searched for a quote or a blessing but couldn’t come up with anything I liked. So I made up my own quote to fit the trade, wrote it on construction paper lemons and tucked it inside the card. Photo quality isn’t great because I scanned this in. I hope the recipients like them when they sprout in their mailbox.

The latest ATC challenge over on Arts in The Cards is “Indigo”. We had to use the color or word/name in our card. Mine are on paper rather than cloth with indigo mulberry paper, oriental writing and oriental brush painting.

I tried using gel glue to make a raised brush painting of bamboo that I was going to rub with indigo stamping ink. It didn’t raise enough when it dried. So I painted over it with the thought of doing something different. Imagine my surprise when the glue areas became opaque with the wash of cream acrylic. Happy accident!! But, the glue didn’t flow well enough to do a great brush painting but I think these have a soft calm look to them anyway. I could see this done on a wall in place of wall paper….maybe in my next life when I have lots of time.

I forgot to post the latest ATC from our Arts in the Cards trade this month. I reduced my stash with a bit of batik, I reused some postcards that were damaged for the backs and I recycled the colorful bird feathers that have lived in a drawer for 6 years. 


The quote says, ” Day after day and all my days falling like leaves upon the lessening time, fluttering away.” That expresses how I feel sometimes at this time of year when my birthday is less than a month away.